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Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


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Couverture  de  couleur 


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□    Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
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I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


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I      I    Coloured  pages/ 


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Pages  damaged/ 
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I 1    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 


D 


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Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 


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gAnArositA  de: 

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first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


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The  World's  Discoverers 


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CHRISTOPHER   COLUMBUS 
(Prom  the  First  Edition  of  De  Bn/s  Percgratione*) 


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World's  Discoverers 

The  Story  of  Bold  Voyages  by  Brave  Navigators 
during  a  Thousand  Tears 


BY 


WILLIAM    HI-.NRY   JOHNSON 

Author  of"  The  King's  Henchman,"  etc. 


IVith  Maps  and  Illustrations 


BOSTON 
LITTLE,  BROWN,  AND   COMPANY 


Copyright,   igoo, 
By  Little,  Brown,  and  Company 

^11  rights  reserved 


Printtra 
S.  J.  PAnKiiiLL  A  Co.,  Boston,  U.  S.  A. 


»  .  .  .  •* 


[■W 


PREFACE 


The  following  work  is  not  a  niisccllancous  collection 
of  voyages  of  discovery.  It  includes  only  such  as  were 
made  with  a  view  to  finding  a  sea-route  to  the  Indies; 
and  its  purpose  is  to  trace  in  outline  that  preat  impulse 
which,  starting  early  in  tlie  lifteenth  cent. uy,  with  the 
awakening  of  Europe,  has  reached  its  tin.d  achievement 
in  our  own  time.  It  is  helieved  to  bo  the  only  book 
gi\  '^1  J,  as  a  whole,  a  connected  account  of  the  search 
for  a  route  to  the  Indies,  Various  expeditions  sent  out 
from  different  countries  and  coveritig  several  centuries 
are  here  shown  in  their  relation  to  a  single  aim  and  as 
parts  of  a  common  movement ;  so  that  we  witness,  in 
the  last  quarter  of  the  nineteenth  century,  the  final  con- 
summation of  the  purpose  that  inspired  Columbus. 
The  several  voyages:  sketched  here  have  therefore  been 
selected  not  only  with  a  view  to  their  popular  interest 
as  narratives  of  adventure,  but  still  more  to  their  vnlue 
as  contributions  to  the  accomplishment  of  the  com- 
mon end. 

While  the  primary  object  of  the  book  is  instruction, 
an  end  which  the  publishers  have  greatly  advanced  by 
the  liberal  use  of  woU-chosen  illustrations  and  maps, 


^'^.^.IQ 


\ 


VI 


Preface 


and  historicai  accuracy  has  been  the  foremost  consider- 
ation, the  author  has  hoped  that  these  sketches  may 
prove  sulliciently  interesting  to  draw  the  attention  of 
young  people  to  the  literature  of  discovery,  which 
abounds  in  examples  of  high  courage,  heroic  endurance, 
and  unwavering  faith.  It  would  gratify  him  to  know 
that  soiiie  of  his  readere  have  been  incited  to  explore 
for  themselves  a  range  of  books  singularly  combining 
picturesqueness  of  incident  with  human  and  historic 
interest.  To  students  of  this  kind  the  Ilakluyt  Society 
has  rendered  an  invaluable  service  by  its  numerous 
reprints  of  old  narratives.  Since,  however,  the  style  of 
the  most  of  these  is  too  antiquated  and  diffuse  to  ai)peal 
to  the  ordinary  reader,  it  may  be  interesting  to  know  of 
other  books  treating  of  the  same  subjects  in  a  manner 
more  adapted  to  modern  taste.  A  list  is  api)eiided  of 
some  of  those  which  the  author  has  used  and  which  he 
would   recommend. 

That  this  little  work  may  have  value  as  a  reference- 
book,  a  short  index  is  included. 

The  author  would  express  his  grateful  acknowledg- 
ments to  the  staff  of  the  Boston  Athenajum  and  that  of 
the  Cambridge  Public  Library  for  unvarying  courtesy 
and  most  cheerful  and  ellicient  aid. 


Cambridge,  Mass., 

August  13,  1900. 


CONTENTS 


part  ifirsft 

OLD    VOYAGES 


CHAPTER  I 

Of  Marco  Polo  and  his  Influence  in  Stimulating 
Exi'LOl.  ..TION 

Wlio  Marco  Polo  was.  His  travels  and  adventures  in  various 
parts  of  Asia.  Some  of  the  .strauKe  tliinf,'s  he  relates  that  have 
since  hecn  proved  true.  Columbus  was  a  great  reader  of 
Alano  Tolo.  Another  old  traveler,  fir  Jolin  Maundeville, 
wliose  marvelous  tales  delighted  thousands  of  readers.  How 
these  writers  kindled  an  eager  desire  to  visit  the  mysterious 
East. 

CHAPTER  II 

TlIK  EXTEUPRLSE   AND  THE   HvRLY  DISCOVERIES  OF  THE 

Portuguese  

Somctliing  about  Prime  Henry  the  Navigator  and  his  brave 
ciiiitaiiiH,  tiie  pioneers  of  e.\ploratiou.  How  one  o'"  '..m,  Har- 
tliulouiew  D'vM,  discovered  and  rounded  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 


Page 
3 


14 


CHAPTER  III 

The  Youth  and  the  Surroundings  of  Christopher 
Columbus     

Christopher  Columbus's  birth  in  Genoa  naturally  inclined  him 
to  follow  tiie  sea  and  to  visit  foreign  countries.     His  parents' 


18 


Vlll 


Contents 


Pagb 


poverty  and  his  own  perseverance  in  seeking  knowledge.  Did 
he  ever  visit  Iceland  and  hear  the  story  of  the  Norsemen's  dis- 
covery of  America  1  How  he  came  to  believe  in  the  ronndness 
of  the  Earth.  Some  of  the  old,  old  stories  about  isluntls  in  tlio 
Western  Ocean.  Why  Columbus  expected  to  find  Asia  wiiere 
America  is.  His  struggles  to  convince  peojde  of  the  truth  of 
his  ideas.  His  first  great  dLsappointinent.  The  King  of  Por- 
tugal's mean  trick,  t'olumbus's  long  years  of  waiting  in  Spain 
at  last  crowned  with  success. 

CHAPTER  IV 
The  First  Voyage  and  the  Discovery  of  America      28 

The  sailing  of  Columbus's  little  fleet.  Why  he  cho.se  the  course 
which  he  sailed.  About  the  "  trades."  The  terrors  of  the 
sailors,  and  how  Columbus  dispelled  them.  Frequent  false 
alarms  of  "  Land ! "  Signs  that  encouraged  the  voyagers  to  go 
on.  Land  !  The  natives  very  unlike  what  Columbus  expected. 
The  discovery  of  Cuba  and  Haiti.  A  native  girl  in  tailor-made 
clothes.  Tiie  flagship  wrecked.  Generous  aid  of  natives.  Gold  ! 
Columbus  and  his  shipwrecked  men  bosspitably  entertained. 
Mermaids  in  sight!  Frightful  hardships  and  perils  of  the 
homeward  voyage.  Almost  wrecked  at  its  very  close.  Joy 
in  Palos  over  the  discoverers'  return.  Sensation  throughout 
Spain.  Triumphant  reception  at  court  and  honors  showered 
on  Columbus. 


CHAPTER  V 

The  Second  Voyage,  in  which  he  explores  Cuba      56 

Columbus's  second  voyage.  Terrible  experience  of  a  party 
who  wandered  away  and  were  lost  on  a  nowly  discovered  island. 
Encounter  with  fierce  savages  and  with  women  who  fought  like 
heroes.  Appalling  discovery  when  Columb.is  readied  Navidad, 
where  he  had  left  a  colony.  Choice  of  a  new  location.  The 
first  enslavement  of  natives.  Discovery  of  Jamaica.  Colum- 
bus's strange  conduct.  Cruelty  of  certain  Spaniards  brings 
on  a  bloody  insurrection  in  Hispaniola.  The  daring  Ojeda 
cunningly  seizes  the  head  chief  of  the  natives.  The  latter's 
tragic  end.  Bloody  battle  and  slaughter  of  the  Indians. 
Colnmbns  returns  to  Spain.  He  is  royally  received  and  meanly 
treiitod  bv  bis  sovereigns. 


Contents 


IX 


CHAPTER  VI 

The  Third  Voyage  and   the  Discovery  of  South 

America 

Columl)U»'s  third  voyage.  The  fleet  gets  into  the  doldrums 
and  has  a  fearful  time.  First  sight  of  South  America.  Shock- 
ing state  of  affairs  in  Ilispaniola.  Colunibus's  efforts  to  restore 
order  rewarded  by  his  being  sent  home  in  chains.  Indignation 
in  Spain.  Unworthy  conduct  of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella  in  not 
keeping  their  word  with  him. 

CHAPTER  VII 

The  Fourth   Voyage,  with  Terrible  Experiences 

on  the  Coast  of  Central  A»ierica,  and  the 

Death  of  Columbus 

Columbus's  fourth  voyage.  He  predicts  a  hurricane.  It  comes, 
and  his  enemies  are  overwiielmed  by  it.  Fearful  storms  on  the 
Mosquito  coast.  Gold  at  last,  and  plenty  of  it.  The  chief, 
Quibian,  i'  supposed  to  he  dead,  but  shows  himself  very  much 
alive.  '^  nigic  fate  of  Diego  Tristan  and  his  crew.  The  Span- 
iards on  the  shore  in  a  desperate  strait.  Ledesma,  the  bold 
swimmer.  Savages  who  prized  their  freedom  more  than  their 
lives.  Columbus  shipwrecked  on  the  coast  of  Jamaica.  A 
brave  proposal  of  Diego  Mendez  is  heroically  carried  out.  He 
succeeds  in  rescuing  his  castaway  comrades.  Columbus  returns 
to  Spain  and  dies  poor  and  neglected. 

CHAPTER  VIII 

Vasco  da  Gama's  Voyage  Begun 

The  story  of  Vasco  da  Gama,  The  great  importance  of  his 
voyage.  He  boldly  strikes  out  a  new  cour.«e.  Fernao  Villoso 
comes  near  paying  very  dearly  for  his  curiosity. 


Page 


73 


81 


93 


CHA1»TER  IX 

Rounding  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope 
Gama  rounds  Good   Hope 


Seal  Island.  The  Portuguese 
begin  to  realize  that  they  are  coming  to  the  East.  Tidings  of 
Prester  John.  A  fight  abont  water.  Gama's  cheerful  way  of 
getting  secrets  out  of  people. 


98 


Contents 


CHAPTER  X 

Paok 

Arrival  in  India  and  Varied  Experiences  there  .     107 

Gama  arrives  in  India.  Ludicrous  mistake  of  the  Portuguese 
when  they  see  images  of  Hindoo  deities,  (jaina  niajics  a  big 
bluff  in  talking  to  tlio  Indian  king  and  is  treated  with  great 
contempt. 

CHAPTER  XI 

Return  to  Portugal 112 

Gama  indulges  in  some  outrages  before  leaving  the  coast  of 
India.  His  frightful  experience  in  re-crossing  tlio  Arabian 
Sea.  Welcome  hospitality  of  the  African  King  of  Malindi. 
Burning  of  the  Sao  Raphael.  Death  of  Paulo  da  Gama  and 
his  brother's  grief.     Triumphal  return  to  Lisbon. 


CHAPTER  XII 

Magellan's  Youth  and  Training 119 

Ferdinand  Magellan's  youth.  How  his  environment  inspired 
him.  His  service  in  India.  An  incident  siimving  his  ready 
mastery  of  men.  How  the  King  of  Portugal  treated  liiin,  on 
his  return  home,  and  liow  he  revenged  himself.  His  j)roposi- 
tion  to  the  King  of  Spain  accepted.  What  it  implied.  The 
Portuguese  monarch  strives  to  defeat  the  objects  of  the 
expedition. 

CHAPTER  XIII 

The  Voyage  Begun 131 

Magellan's  voyage  begun.  The  seed  of  the  Portuguese  King's 
sowing  begins  to  bear  fruit.  I'laying-eards  at  a  premium  in 
Kio  harbor.  Strange  kind  of  covering  for  shelterless  men. 
Mutiny,  and  how  Magellan's  strong  hand  crushed  it.  Fate  of 
the  ringleaders. 


CHAPTER  XIV 
Ihe  Strait  Discovered 


139 


a- 


Shipwreck  of  one  of  Magollan'.s  vessels.     Her  captain's  good 
management  saves  every  life.    The  giant  Patagonians.     Ma- 


Contents  xi 

Page 
gellan's  device  for  capturing  specimens  of  tliem.  Did  ho  know 
of  the  existeiu'o  of  a  strait  {  Tlie  passage  discovered.  Pilot 
(joiiies  gives  good  ruu.soiis  against  goiug  fartiier.  Magellan 
overrules  tlieui.  Gomes  deserts  with  the  largesi  ship.  The 
Pacific ! 

ClIAPTEll  XV 

Plague,  Pestilence,  anl»  Famine 153 

Horrible  sufferings  of  the  first  navigators  that  ever  crossed 
the  Pacific. 

ciiaptb:r  XVI 

Discovery    ob^    the    Piiiliitines    and     Death    of 

Magellan 156 

How  the  Ladrones  got  tlieir  name.  Skilful  canoemen  and 
more  skilful  thieves.  The  gentler  side  of  Magellan.  Some  of 
the  strange  creatures  the  voyagers  saw.  How  a  bullying  king 
was  brougiit  to  terms.  Clhristians  made  by  wholesale,  and 
what  sort  of  Christians  they  proved  to  be.  Magellan's  ill- 
advised  attack  on  the  Island  of  Mactan.  Bloody  encounter. 
Death  of  Magellan. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

The  Circumnavigation  Completed 166 

Magellan's  followers  push  on.  Treachery  of  the  King  of  Sebu. 
Massacre  of  the  Spaniards.  Carvalho  abandons  Serrao  to  his 
fate.  The  Spaniards  fight  for  their  lives  in  the  harbor  o. 
Brunei.  The  Spice  Islands  reached  at  last.  Wealth  pouring 
in  with  every  canoe.  Deep-laden  with  treasure,  the  ships  start 
for  home.  Tragic  fate  of  Magellan's  flagship.  Vasco  da  Gama 
again,  cruel  as  ever.  Perilous  adventures  of  the  "  Vittoria," 
the  sole  survivor  of  Magellan's  fleet.  Narrow  escape  from  tlie 
Portuguese  almost  at  the  end  of  her  voynge.  She  .sails  into 
the  harbor  of  Seville,  having  circumnavigated  the  globe. 

CHAPTER  XVIII 

Verrazano  explores  the  Coast  op  the  United  States     177 

Verrazano  makes  his  land-fall  on  the  coast  of  Carolina.  His 
singularly  good  description  of  the  Southern  seaboard.     How 


Paok 


189 


204 


xii  Contents 

the  natives  treated  a  sailor  whom  the  waves  threw  into  their 
hands,  and  how  Frenchmen  requited  it.  Verrazano  in  New 
York  harbor.  Ilia  delightful  stay  in  Narragansett  Bay.  A  dis- 
tant view  of  the  White  Mountains.  How  beautiful  Penobscot 
bay  inipredsud  tlio  first  European  visitors.  Norumbegaand  the 
Northmen. 

CHAPTER  XIX 

The  Earlikst  Seekers  of  a  Northeast  Passage     . 

King  Alfred's  great  work.  Otliere  and  his  daring  cruise  into 
tlie  Arctic  Ocean,  a  thousand  years  ago.  How  the  Finns  and 
Lapps  lived  in  those  old  days.  Some  queer  "travelers'  tales" 
from  old  times.  Sir  Hugh  Willoughby  and  his  company  meet 
tlieir  doom  on  the  coast  of  Laplaud.  Kichard  Chancelor  makes 
a  great  hit  and  becomes  the  guest  of  the  Russian  Emperor. 
His  entertaining  account  of  the  Russians. 

CHAPTER  XX 

The  Earliest  Seekers  of  a  Northwest  Passage    . 

Terrible  experiences  of  explorers  in  Newfoundland.  Fed  by 
a  fish-hawk.  Cannibalism.  Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert's  mis- 
fortunes and  heroic  death. 

CHAPTER  XXI 

Frobisher's  Fancied  Discoveries 209 

Martin  Frobisber  sails  in  quest  of  a  northwest  pa.ssage  to 
China.  He  fixncies  that  he  has  found  it.  He  loses  a  boat's 
crew,  but  captures  a  native.  He  makes  a  discovery  that  seta 
England  wild  when  he  returns.  On  his  second  voyage  he 
schemos  to  seize  two  of  the  natives,  but  "  catches  a  Tartar." 
Desperate  affray  at  Bloody  Point.  Queen  Elizabeth  loses  her 
head  and  louses  her  purse-strings.  A  great  fleet  sails  to  bring 
back  uncounted  treasure.    Pitiful  outcome  of  it  all. 

CHAPTER  XXII 

John  Davis's  Explorations 224 

Brave  John  Davis,  another  famous  seeker  of  a  northwest  pas- 
sage to  China  The  Land  of  Desolation.  Friendly  natives. 
Enormous  bears.  Eskimo  dogs  that  cannot  bark.  A  "flie 
that  is  called  muskeeta."    The  passage  not  yet  found. 


Contents 

CHAPTER  XXIII 

The  Sea-Kings  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  Time  .     .     . 

Something  about  Queen  Elizabeth's  great  captains.  General 
ignorance  of  geography  up  to  their  time.  iSources  of  their 
inspiration.     Some  of  their  great  achievemeuta. 


Xlll 


Page 

228 


CHAPTER  XXIV 
The  E^nglish  Dkagon 235 

Francis  Drake's  boyhood  and  early  experiences.  Hot  time  for 
Protestants  under  Queen  Mary.  Hangings  in  Kent.  The 
Drakes  escape  to  Plymouth.  Young  Francis's  early  home  in 
an  old  hulk.  The  pirates  who  frequented  Plymouth  harbor, 
and  their  secret  friend,  Queen  Elizabeth.  How  Dr.  Story  was 
cauglit  and  hanged.  Francis  apprenticed  on  a  little  coaster. 
He  becomes  its  owner.  He  makes  a  foreign  voyage  and  is 
plundered  by  the  Spanish. 


CHAPTER  XXV 
The  Dragon  sails  on  Magellan's  Track  .... 

Drake,  the  "  English  Dragon,"  spreads  his  wings  for  a  long 
and  bold  flight.  Beginning  of  his  mysterious  voyage.  His 
daring  purpose.  Its  appalling  dangers.  Strange  sights  on  the 
Atlantic.  Birds  that  never  touch  land  and  fish  that  rarely 
touch  water.  Was  John  Doughty  a  wizard  ?  The  "  giants  " 
of  Patagonia.  Trouble  with  Thomas  Doughty,  and  how  it 
ended  with  his  losing  his  head.  Fight  with  some  of  the 
"giants." 


The   Dragon 
Cathay    , 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

REOPENS    THE     SoUTHWEST    PASSAGE    TO 


Drake  passes  the  Strait  of  Magellan.  One  vessel  goes  dow  i 
and  anotlier  deserts  him.  Left  alone,  he  pushes  on  undis- 
mayed and  makes  a  splendid  discovery.  Great  slaughter  of 
penguins  to  victual  the  ship.  Drake  and  every  man  in  his 
boat  wounded  by  natives.  He  sails  up  the  Pacific  coast,  loading 
his  vessel  with  gold  and  silver  taken  from  Spaniards.  The 
crew  of  the  "  Grand  Captain  of  the  South  "  have  a  merry  night 


247 


257 


XIV 


Contents 


Pagk 


with  Drake's  men,  old  Tom  Moore  at  their  head.  More  prizes 
and  more  l)ooty.  Kxcitlng  ehaso  of  tlie  Cacafiiego.  A  royal 
prize.  The  wliole  west  coast  of  South  America  in  arms  ajjainst 
Drake,  lie  skirls  N'orth  America,  declines  to  he  made  a  king 
in  California,  and  .striivcs  out  acro.ss  tiic  I'acific.  lie  runs  upon 
a  reef  and  narrowly  e.scapes  losing  liis  vessel  and  its  priceless 
cargo.  lie  startles  all  Kngland  hy  suddenly  reappearing  at 
1  lymoi'.tii,  loaded  to  the  water  witii  plundered  treasure.  He  is 
honored  and  is  knighted  hy  Klizaheth's  own  hand. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

Dutch  Explorers  visit  Nova  Zkmhla 

William  Biirents  is  jiilot  of  a  Dutch  ship  sailing  to  find  a 
northeast  j)assage.  The  midnight  sun.  Two  hours'  figlit  with 
a  hear.  Dead  whales.  Another  fight  witli  a  hear.  Curious 
story  ahout  a  certain  kind  of  geese.  More  fights  with  bears. 
Around  the  northern  end  of  Nova  Zemhla.  Fa.st  in  the  ice. 
They  resign  themselves  to  spending  the  winter  there. 


272 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

Winter-Bound  on  Nova  Zembla 

Barents  and  his  men  prepare  for  a  hard  winter.  They  find  a 
great  store  of  driftwood  and  begin  to  build  a  house.  More 
fighting  with  bears.  First  deatli  in  the  party.  Tlie  hou.se  is 
finished.  They  begin  to  trap  foxes.  The  sun  disappears,  to 
be  seen  no  more  for  months.  Cold  so  bitter  that  fire  conld  not 
warm  them.  A  doleful  Chri.stmas.  The  new  year  brings 
keener  cold.  A  (piiet  sort  of  jollification.  Another  death. 
The  sun  reappears.  Signs  of  spring.  Golf  ou  the  ice. 
Preparations  for  starting  homeward  iu  boats. 


281 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

In  Open  Boats  from  Nova  Zemhla  to  Lapland 

Barents  and  his  men  start  for  home.  Mucli  hindered  by  ice. 
Ice-bound  for  days  together.  Death  of  Barents.  More  trouble 
with  bears.  The  voyagers  begin  to  get  birds  and  eggs.  An 
exciting  time  with  walruses.  They  encounter  Ru.ssians,  who 
treat  them  kindly.  They  reach  the  Russian  shore.  Coasting 
along,  tliey  still  endure  great  privations,  but  are  helped  by 


300 


Contents 

fisliortiioii  wliDiii  tlioy  inoet.  Comiiij^  to  Laiiliiiid,  tlioy  cncoiin- 
t<;r  ill!  (lid  coinriKli",  who  takoM  tlioiii  in  cliargo.  Arrival  in 
Amsteidaiu.  I'rido  of  the  Dutch  in  preserving  relic.,  of  the 
expeditiun. 


XV 

PA(iK 


CHAPTER  XXX 

IIkNHY    IIidson's    V(>YA(iKS    TOWARDS    TIIK    NoKTIIDAST 

Henry  Hudson  not  a  niitchnian,  imt  a  friend  of  Barents.  His 
bold  attciiiiii,  to  reach  Asia  liy  sailin„'  across  the  Nortii  Pole, 
Its  iiicvitaliic  failure.  In  a  second  voyage  a  mermaid  is  seen. 
He  attempts  to  pass  through  the  Kostiu  Shar,  but  finds  it 
imi)racticaMc. 


321 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

HuDSOn'.S   Exi'LOHATION    OK   TIIK    IIl'D.SON    RiVEU        .      .       328 

Hudson  sails  on  his  ever-memorable  voyage.  He  heads  for 
North  America.  His  relations  with  Captain  John  Smith.  He 
reaches  Penobscot  Hay.  Hl-treatmont  of  natives.  He  touche.s 
at  Cape  Cod,  stretches  down  as  far  as  the  Virginia  coast,  turns 
northward,  and  explores  Delaware  Hay.  He  enters  New  York 
harbor.  Delightful  experiences  there,  followed  by  a  fight,  in 
which  one  of  ids  men  is  killed.  He  begins  to  ascend  the 
Ilud.son  Hiver.  He  comes  near  to  the  site  of  Ali>any.  De- 
scending, lie  has  a  bloody  affray  near  the  Island  of  Manna- 
hatta.     Return  to  England.    Results  of  the  voyage. 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

Hudson  kxplorks  IIinsoN  Bay 330 

Hudson  again  seeks  a  northwest  j)assage.  Ilis  men  enjoy  a 
natural  hot  bath  on  the  shore  of  Iceland.  Signs  of  insubordi- 
nation among  the  crew.  He  explores  Hudson  I3ay.  Com- 
pelled to  winter  there.  Bitter  ex))eriences.  Famine  averted 
by  the  immense  number  of  ptarmigan.  How  an  honest  man 
barters.  Free  from  the  ice.  Mutiny.  Hudson  is  set  adrift 
with  a  few  companions.  The  mutineers  have  a  bloody  encoun- 
ter with  Eskimo.  Horrible  sufferings  of  •\e  survivors.  They 
reach  England.     Dr.  John  Fiske's  tribute  to  Hudson. 


8    i| 


XVI 


Contents 


pare  ^rconD 


BE CENT  VOYAGES 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 


A  Northwest  Passace  Uiscoveked 


Paob 
349 


The  loss  of  Sir  Joliii  Franklin  and  his  crews.  Sorrow  iu 
England  and  the  I'nited  States.  Numerous  search  expedi- 
tious. Fate  of  the  lost  men  ascertained.  Did  I'ranklin  find 
the  northwest  passaj^e  ?  Caj»taiu  McClure  sails  iu  the  "  Inves- 
tigator." Indoniitaliie  Yankees  at  Port  F'amiue.  McClure 
enters  tlie  Arctic  Ocean.  Merry  F^skimo  thieves.  The  sea  of 
eternal  ice.  F'rozen  in.  'i"he  northwest  pas.sage  discovered. 
F'rozen  in  again.  Aliundance  of  game.  Fearless  wolves. 
Condition  of  the  crew  hocomes  alarming.  Unexpected  relief. 
The  "Investigator"  abandoned.  Honors  to  her  crew  in 
England. 

CHAPTER  XXXIV 

The  "Veoa"  nE(iiN.s  her  Famous  Voyage.     .     .    .     364 

Professor  Nordenskiilld  sails  in  the  "Vega."  Summer  appear- 
ance of  Nova  Zcmtiia.  A  Samoyed  village.  Stick-idols, 
Gnilloinot-fclis.  lOider  ducks,  ptarmigan,  and  snowy  owls. 
Reindeer,  polar  hears,  and  foxes.  How  the  walrus  is  hunted. 
The  plague  of  mosquitoes. 


CHAPTER  XXXV 

Through  the  Kara  Sea  to  the  Northernmost  Point 
OF  Asia 

The  "Vega"  enters  tlie  dreaded  Kara  Sea.  A  bear  and  a 
reindeer  are  shot.  Winter  in  this  region.  Gloomy  desolation 
of  the  northernmost  point  of  Asia.  A  solitary  bear  on  guard. 
The  Lena  Delta ;  its  mournful  associations  for  Americans. 


377 


Contents 


xvii 


CIIAITKIl  XXXVI 

Tin;  "  VKCiA's"  iNTKUfoiKSK  WITH  Nativks  ok  Sibkkia 

Umlevelopct!  wealth  of  Silicria.  "  Noah's  wood."  How  the 
tuiitira  waH  forined  Fohh!!  elephaiitH  aiitl  rliiiioceroHea.  I'roflt- 
uIpK'  trailu  in  fossil  ivon-.  Aiitii|iiily  of  tho  liiiiuaii  race  sliowu 
hv  caiviiijjs  on  ivory.  'I'hc  "  Vt'j;a  "  ciiconnters  natives  of  the 
I'liast.  Keen  traders!  Their  lionies  and  their  iiuine  life, 
"(live  a  dog  a  hud  name  and  hang  hiiu."  Vestiges  uf  a  vaa< 
isiied  race.    Ice-bouud. 


PAtlK 

381 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 

In  Wintkk  Qlautkks  on  the  Sujeuian  Coast      .    .     398 

Life  in  winter  (|uarters.  Chukchis  will  cheat  in  trade,  hut  won't 
steal.  Alternate  gorging  and  starving.  The  shamans.  Their 
terrible  iutluence.     How  the  aged  are  sometimes  disposed  of. 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII 

TllUOlfiH    BEIIRIN<i    StKAIT    TO    ClPANOO 403 

Wiiat  the  Chukchis  do  with  tlieir  dead.  How  a  kind  master 
treats  his  reindeer.  A  Chnkelii  dog  leads  a  "  dog's  life."  Signs 
of  spring.  Free  from  the  ice.  The  "  Vega"  leaves  her  filthy 
but  kinilly  friends  disconsolate.  She  passes  through  Behriug 
Strait.    The  northeast  passage  achieved. 


I- 


J 
\ 
I 
'I 

T 
A 
F 

iM 
S( 

.M 

11 

CI 

A 

St 
TI 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


CuRisTorHEU  CoM'Miius Frontispiece 

From  the  first  edition  of  Dc  Dry's  "  I'cregrationcs  " 

PAGE 

Mfdiillioiis  of  Marco  I'olo  and  Knbla  Khan 4 

IStiitiRi  of  I'rince  Ik-nry  of  Portugal 15 

Bi'liaiiu's  (I lobe,   ll!>2 31 

The  Landfall  of  Columbus 30 

ColiMubtis  at  Ilispaniola 69 

Karliest   Ueprescntation  of  South   American  Natives,  1190- 

1501 77 

House  in  which  Columbus  died 91 

Vasco  da  Gama 94 

Hindu  Deities,  Krishna  nursed  by  Devaki 108 

The  Figure-llead  of  the  Sao  Raphael 115 

The  Harbor  of  Lisbon 117 

Alfonso  d'Albufiuoniue 120 

Ferdinand  Magellan 123 

Majfellan  Passing  his  Strait 141 

Sc'.oner's  Globe,   1520 145 

.Map  of  Magellan  Strait 147 

"Hauslab"  Gh.be 151 

Chart  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  showing  the  Track  of  Magellan's 

Ships,  1519-1522 101 

A  Scene  in  Sebu 167 

Statue  of  Sebastian  Del  Cano 175 

The  Verrazano  Map ••...  185 


1:    S 


XX  List  of  Illustrations 

PAOB 

A  Norse  Ship  of  the  Tenth  Century 190 

Sir  Hugh  Willoughby 195 

Martin  Frobisher 210 

Map  showing  Frobisher's  Strait 211 

Queen  Elizabeth  and  her  Great  Captains,  Sir  Walter  Raleigh, 

Sir  John  Hawkins,  Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert,  and  Sir  Thomas 

Cavendish 229 

Sir  Francis  Drake 237 

House-Building  in  the  Arctic  Regions 283 

"How  we  shot  a  bear,  wherefrom  wc  got  a  good  hundred 

pounds' weight  of  grease  " 297 

"  True  portraiture  of  our  boats  " 309 

A  Russian  Lodja ^^^ 

Gerrit  de  Veer's  Map  of  Nova  Zembla,  showing  the  House 

in  which  his  Party  wintered 317 

Henry  Hudson ^23 

Sir  John  Franklin 350 

Boats  in  a  Swell  amongst  Ice 353 

Smoke  issuing  from  Cliff  at  Cape  Bathurst 358 

Block  of  Stone  with  Parry's  Inscription 361 

Baron  Adolph  Eric  Nordenskibld 365 

Samoyed  Sled  and  Idols 366 

A  Place  of  Sacrifice ^^^ 

Towing  with  Dogs ^^^ 

Winter  Dress ^^^ 

Notii  and  his  Wife ^^^ 


:ii 


BOOKS    OP    REFERENCE. 


TiiK  VoYAGKs  Axn  Travkls  of  Marco  Polo. 

Tin;  VovAGKs  and  Travels  of  Sir  Joiix  MArxoKviLLE.  \ 

TiiK  SroRY  ok  Collmrus.     l{y  Mrs.  E.  Ejrgleston  Seclye. 

Tim:  Lific  of  Christoi-hkr  Colusiius.  By  Sir  Clements  11. 
iMarkliatn. 

CiiRisToniKii  Columbus.     By  Dr.  Justin  Winsor. 

Thi;  Dlscovkry  of  Amfrica.     By  Dr.  John  Fiske. 

Thk  Liff,  of  Fkrduvaxd  Magellan  and  the  First  Circum- 
navigation OF  THE  Globe,  1480-1521,  By  F.  II.  II. 
Guillcniard. 

Tin:  Voyages  of  Martix  Froihsher  (Ilakhiyt  Society). 

The  Voyages  of  John  Davis  (Ilakliiyt  Society). 

Kn<;i.isii  Seamen.     By  James  A.  Fronde. 

Siu  FitAxcis  Drake.     By  Julian  Corbett. 

TiiUEE  Voyages  by  the  Northeast.  By  Gcrrit  De  A'eer 
(Ilakluyt  Society). 

The  Discovery  of  the  Xorthavest  Passage.  By  Sherard 
Osborn. 

The  Voyage  of  the  Vega.     By  Prof.  A.  E.  Nordenskiuld. 


W'. 


ffi 


PART   FIRST 


OLD   VOYAGES 


( 

1 
i 
t 
ll 

a 
f( 


THE  WORLD'S  DISCOVERERS 

part  i?!r0t 

OLD  VOYAGES 


CHAPTER  I 

OF  MARCO  POLO  AND  HIS  INFLUKNCK  IN   STIMULATING 

EXPLORATION 

Once  a  monk's  preaching  set  Europe  aflame,  put 
a  million  of  men  on  the  march,  and  started  a  move- 
ment that  had  not  spent  its  force  when  nearly  two  hun- 
''red  years  had  gone  by.  Of  the  great  armies  and  the 
mobs  of  pilgrims  that  tramped  wearily  or  sailed  tedi- 
ously to  the  EasL,  the  most  perished.  But  the  survivors 
brought  back  seeds  of  learning  and  art  that  sprouted 
and  grew  until  they  changed  the  face  of  Europe  from  a 
weedy  lot  into  a  fair  garden. 

Two  centuries  after  Peter  the  Hermit  set  the 
Crusades  in  motion,  a  prisoner  telling  the  story  of  his 
travels  to  a  fellow-captive  gave  a  new  impulse  to 
human  energy,  an  impulse  that  brought  a  world  to 
the  knowledge  of  civilized  men.  Like  the  other,  it 
had  the  East  for  its  goal.  His  name  was  Marco  Polo, 
and  the  movement  which,  all  unknowingly,  he  set  on 
foot  was  the   effort   to  reach  by  water  the  marvelous 


f^ 


h 


4  The  World's  Discoverers 

lands  and  splendid  cities  of  the  far  East  which  he 
described.  It  never  ceased  until  no  accessible  portion 
of  the  globe  remained  unexplored.  When  Europe  be- 
gan to  shake  off  the  sleep  of  ages,  in  the  fifteenth  cen- 
tury, long  after  he  was  dead,  one  of  the  first  signs  of 
its  awakening  was  an  increased  activity  in  trade.  This 
prompted  voyages  of  discovery.  The  movement  of  ex- 
ploration was  sure  to  be  started  in  one  way  or  another, 
for  the  time  was  rij)o.     The  message  of  INIarco  Polo  was 


MEDALLIONS  OP  MARCO  POLO  AND  KUBLA  KHAN 

then  heard  by  a  generation  eager  to  heed  it,  and  more 
than  that  of  any  other  one  person  it  was  the  influence 
that  sent  forth  the  world's  discoverers  on  their  perilous 
voyages. 

At  the  time  in  which  he  lived  there  was  much  com- 
mercial intercourse  between  Europe  and  China,  —  by 
overland  travel,  of  course.  Later  this  ceased,  wdth  the 
fall  of  the  Mongol  dynasty.  When,  after  two  centu- 
ries, the  spirit  of  exploration  w'as  aroused,  and  Euro- 
peans again  reached  the  wonderful  countries  which  he 
had  described,  so  great  was  their  ignorance  of  them  it 
was  almost  a  new  discovery. 


Old  Voyages 


Mcirco  Polo's  roniiiutic  iianative  litis  liad  the  sjime  ex- 
perience as  many  another  ohl  liook.  First,  it  was  swal- 
lowed eagerly.  The  greater  the  marvel,  the  more  ea.sily 
it  was  helieved.  Then  came  a  time  of  greater  knowledge. 
Men  fonnd  incredible  statements  in  the  book.  At  onet; 
they  rejected  it  altogether.  It  became  fashionable  to 
sneer  at  him  as  a  mere  romancer,  an  inventor  of  fal»U's. 
Finally  there  has  come  a  time  of  still  gi-eater  knowledge. 
A  closer  acqnaintance  with  the  langnages  and  the  histo- 
lies  of  China  and  otlier  Eastern  lands  establishes  the 
trnthfnlness  and  accnracy  of  Polo  in  a  great  inunber  of 
particnlars.  It  is  no  longer  possible  to  donbt  that  he 
ever  visited  China,  when  the  annals  of  that  country  show 
that  he  was  really  appointed  to  a  high  position  under 
the  Chinese  em[)eror  in  the  year  1277.  1'he  more  China 
is  ex[)lored  and  known,  the  more  firmly  Polo's  credit  is 
established  as  to  the  substance  of  his  story.  At  the  same 
time,  there  are  many  incredible  things  related  by  him. 
The  truth  seems  to  be  that  he  embellished  the  facts  of 
his  actual  experience  with  many  fanciful  additions, 
mainly,  perhaps,  things  that  he  had  heard  from  others. 
We  must  remember,  too,  that  his  book  was  handed 
ilown  for  almost  two  hundred  years  in  written  copies, 
before  the  invention  of  the  art  of  printing.  The  old 
copyists  sometimes  took  strange  liberties  with  the  text 
before  them  and  introduced  many  of  their  own  notions. 
It  is  impossible  to  know  how  many  of  the  fabulous 
stories  contained  in  Marco  Polo's  book,  as  we  have  it 
to-day,  originated  in  the  fertile  fancy  of  a  scribe. 

The  famous  traveler  was  born  in  Venice,  in  1254,  of 
a  well-known  family  of  merchants.      He  was  a  well- 


I  W', 


h 


¥ 


6  The  World's  Discoverers 

grown  lad  when  tlie  last  army  of  Crusaders  started  for 
the  Holy  Land.  While  he  was  a  child  his  father 
and  his  uncle  went  to  the  Crimea  on  a  trading  enter- 
prise. Thence  they  journeyed  to  Bokhara.  Various 
inducements  led  them  on  until  they  finally  reached  tlie 
court  of  the  great  em[)eror,  Kubla  Khan,  who  ruled  the 
wide  dominions  conquered  by  the  famous  Tartar,  Gen- 
ghis Khan.  Kubla  Khan  had  established  his  capital  at 
Cambaluc,  now  called  Pekin.  He  had  also  at  Shangtu 
a  magnificent  summer-palace,  which  Coleridge  describes 
in  his  poem :  — 

"  In  Xanadu  did  Kubla  Khan 
A  stately  pleasure-dome  decree  ; 
Where  Alph,  the  sacred  river,  ran 
Through  caverns  measureless  to  man 
Down  to  a  sunless  sea. 
So  twice  five  miles  of  fertile  ground 
With  walls  and  towers  were  girdled  round: 
And  there  were  gardens  bright  witii  sinuous  rills, 
Where  blossomed  many  an  incense-bearing  tree ; 
And  here  were  forests  ancient  as  the  hills. 
Enfolding  sunny  spots  of  greenery." 

The  great  Khan  was  so  much  pleased  with  the  two 
Venetian  merchants  and  with  what  he  learned  from 
them  of  the  civilization  and  religion  of  the  West  that 
he  despatched  them  back  with  a  message  to  the  Pope, 
requesting  him  to  send  out  a  body  of  men  who  should 
instruct  his  people  in  the  arts  of  Europe  and  in  Chris- 
tianity. Had  this  petition  been  fully  complied  with, 
we  can  scarcely  guess  how  greatly  the  history  of  China 
might  have  been  changed.  But  only  two  monks  were 
sent,  and  even  these  had  not  the  courage  to  complete 
their  journey  into  China. 


Old  Voyages 


After  staying  two  years  in  Venice,  the  two  brothers 
.stiirted  again  for  the  East,  taking  with  tiieni  young 
Marco,  tlien  a  bright  youth  of  sevenlien.  They  trav- 
eled through  Persia  to  the  hill  country  of  Badakshan, 
in  Central  Asia,  and  thence  through  many  regions  not 
described  again  until  our  own  days,  over  the  great  des- 
ert of  Gobi,  to  the  northwest  provinces  of  China.  So, 
tour  years  after  leaving  Venice,  they  found  themselves 
once  more  at  the  court  of  Kubla  Khan. 

The  emperor  was  greatly  pleiioed  with  young  Marco, 
who  was  very  observant  and  quick-witted  and  had  an 
iiinuzing  faculty  of  learning  the  languages  and  ways  of 
[)eo[)le.  lie  was  soon  employed  on  various  missions  in 
(lilYcrent  parts  of  the  empire.  Having  observed  the 
Ivliau's  interest  in  all  that  was  novel,  he  took  pains  to 
aciiuaint  himself  with  everything  that  was  worth  noting 
in  tiie  manners  and  customs  of  the  strange  peoples 
iiinousjj  whom  he  traveled.  Thus  he  accumulated  a  vast 
store  of  information,  and  what  he  had  gathered  he 
re[)eated  to  his  master,  on  his  return.  Finally  he  was 
established  for  three  years  as  governor  of  the  city  of 
Yaugchow.  All  this  time  the  elder  Polos  were  enjoy- 
ing the  emperor's  favor  and  assisting  him  with  their 
advice. 

In  1292  a  great  occasion  arose.  A  Mongol  bride  was 
to  be  sent  to  Tabreez,  in  Persia,  to  be  married  to  a 
l»riiice  who  was  a  near  kinsman  of  Kubla  Khan.  The 
three  Venetians  were  selected,  as  experienced  travelers, 
to  accompany  the  party.  The  long  overland  journey 
was  considered  too  formidable  for  a  delicately  reared 
young  woman,  and  it  was  determined  to  go  by  sea.     No 


11 


hi   > 
J!    * 


I 


8 


'riie  World's  Discoverers 


less  tliaii  two  yi'iirs  were  coiisniiicd  oil  tli(^  NViiy,  and  tlic 
put}'  ciicomitoivd  luaiiy  perils  and  !iard8hi[)s  in  consc- 
(pionuo  of  which  more  tlian  half  died.  •  In  this  way, 
howcvi!!',  Marco  gained  a  knowledge  of  tlie  Mahiy 
IN'ninsula  and  of  the  great  islands  of  tiie  Arcliipelago. 
I'^inally  they  reacluid  their  destination  with  the  hride. 
Her  intended  liushand  in  tlic  mean  time  had  died,  and 
she  was  actnally  married  to  his  son. 

The  P()h)s,  having  come  so  far  to  the  west,  followed 
their  hearts'  desire  and  traveled  on  to  Venice.  Fonr 
years  after  their  return,  war  broke  out  between  their 
city  and  the  rival  republic  of  Cicnoa.  In  a  sea-fight  the 
Venetians  were  defeated  and  Marco  Polo  was  captured. 
This  proved  a  happy  circumstance  for  the  world.  Dur- 
ing the  year  which  he  spent  in  a  Genoese  prison,  a 
fellow-capti\e  named  Rusticiano  prevailed  on  him  to 
give  an  account  of  his  travels  and  a  description  of  the 
countries  which  he  had  visited,  that  he  might  write  it 
down.  The  whole  narrative  was  dictated  from  memory. 
Under  these  circumstances  we  could  not  expect  great 
exactness. 

The  extent  and  variety  of  geographical  information 
contained  in  Polo  are  astounding,  if  we  consider  the 
dense  ignorance  of  Europe  in  his  times.  Travelers 
{)enetrating  to-day  into  obscure  regions  of  the  Chinese 
Empire  find  themselves  forestalled  by  this  old  voyager 
and  encounter  names  and  customs  which  confirm  his 
statements.  No  part  of  the  vast  region  extending  from 
the  frozen  shores  of  the  Arctic  Ocean  to  the  burning 
islands  lying  beneath  the  Equator  escaped  his  notice. 
What  he  did  not  know  from  personal  knowledge  he  dili- 


Old  Voyages 


j^tMitly  iiKiuiivd  about  from  tnivcliiig  iiu'rchiints.  From 
liiiii  I'iUroiu'  heard  Tor  tlu'  lirst.  time  of  the  wilds  of 
NorLlu'rii  Silx'ria,  with  their  fur  iK'ariiit,''  animals  and 
''groat  white  bears,  twenty  palms  long."  He  says:  "The 
'^M'eat  lakes,  whieh  are  frozen,  exeejjt  for  a  few  months 
in  the  year,  an;  the  eause  that  in  the  sunnner  it  is  scarce 
to  Ik!  traveled  foi-  mire,  and  therefore  the  merijhants, 
in  going  to  hny  their  furs  for  fourteen  days'  journey 
through  the  descul,  have  set  U[)  for  each  day  a  house  of 
wood,  where  they  barter  with  the  inhabitants,  and  in 
winter  they  use  sledges,  which  are  drawn  on  the  ice  by 
JK'asts  lik(!  great  (h)gs,  by  c()U[)les,  the  sledge-man  only 
with  his  merchant  and  furs  sitting  therein.  At  the 
extremity  of  the  region  of  these  Tartars  is  a  country 
reaching  to  the  farthest  north,  called  the  obscure  land, 
because  the  most  part  of  tlu;  wintcn-  months  the  sun 
ap[)ears  not,  and  the  air  is  thick  and  darkish  as  betimes 
in  the  morning  with  us.  The  men  there  are  pale  and 
squat,  have  no  prince,  and  live  like  beasts."  This 
descri''ion  he  clearly  got  from  traders  who  visited  the 
shores  of  the  Polar  Sea  for  furs,  as  they  do  to-day. 

From  him  Euiope  first  heard  of  Magaster  (Madagas- 
car), "one  of  the  greatest  and  richest  islands  in  the  world, 
three  thousand  miles  in  circuit,  inhabited  by  Saracens  " 
(Mohannuedans).  lie  says:  "The  [)eople  live  by  mer- 
chandise and  sell  vast  quantities  of  elephants'  teeth. 
The  currents  in  these  parts  are  of  exceeding  force." 
Two  hundred  years  later,  the  first  Portuguese  naviga- 
tors were  baffled  by  the  strong  current  sweeping  down 
through  Mozambique  Channel  and  along  the  East  Afri- 
can coast.     Such  particulars  as  these   Polo  must  have 


/     ; 


.!      •' 


'    i 


( -ft ' 


lO 


The  World's  Discoverers 


got  from  those  who  had  actually  .sailed  in  those  parts. 
S|i('iiUiii,t,'  of  a  lar<,M'  island  which  he  calls  Caniari,  per- 
haps jionico  or  Sumatra,  he  says,  "Here  are  apes  so 
iarye  that  they  seem  to  he  men."  It  is  well  known 
that  the  home;  of  the;  gniat  nian-like  apes  is  in  these 
islands,  lie  describes  the  people  of  those  regions  as 
"continually  chewing  a  leaf  called  tembnl,  with  sjjices 
and  linu'."  The  betel-nut  (Arabic,  tambur)  is  still 
in(Hfssantly  chew(Ml  by  the  natives,  with  an  admixture 
of  lime  and  catechu.  It  is  evident  from  his  account 
that  the  business  of  exhibiting  "  freaks  "  is  not  new.  He 
says,  "There  are  certain  small  apes,  in  their  faces  like 
men,  whicdi  they  put  in  boxes  and  preserve  with  spices 
[end)alm],  and  sell  them  to  the  merchants,  who  carry 
them  through  the  world,  showing  them  for  pigmies  or 
little  men."  The  modern  exhibitor  prefers  to  have  his 
specimens  alive. 

Hut  it  was  Polo's  description  of  the  grandeur  and 
wealth  of  the  Great  Khan's  empire,  with  its  cities  of 
bewildering  si)lendor,  that  (ired  the  imagination  of  tlie 
western  world.  Who  can  wonder  at  this  effect,  when 
we. read  of  "Quinsai,  the  City  of  Heaven,  which  for  the 
excellency  thereof  hath  that  name;  for  in  the  world 
there  is  not  the  like,  or  a  place  in  whicli  are  found  so 
many  pleasures,  that  a  man  woukl  think  that  he  were  in 
Paradise  "?  A  hundred  miles  Ip.  circuit;  with  ten  great 
market-places;  with  a  clear  lalie  of  fresh  water  on  one 
side  and  on  the  other  a  great  river,  which  carries  away 
all  the  sewerage ;  with  wide  thoroughfares  and  numerous 
canals,  tlie  latter  s[)anned  by  thousands  of  bridges,  those 
on  the  chief  channels  so  high  that  vessels  may  pass  under 


Old  Voyages 


I  I 


with  tlu'ir  iniistn  staiuliiijjf,  wliilc  liorsos  luul  cliarlots 
ci'dss  ovcrlu'iul ;  with  givat  stoiThdUscs  of  sloiic,  in 
uiiicli  iiicrcliiiiits  from  liidiu  and  oilier  comiliit's  liiv 
iH)tiu'ii'  mcrchaiidisi!;  with  vast  (luaiitilics  of  lish,  ^amr, 
meats,  {)oiiltry,  veg«'tahU!s,  and  fruits  daily  [)ouriiig  in, 
(o  feed  tlie  iimneiisi!  jjopidation ;  with  thousands  of  arti- 
liieis  plying  tlu'ir  busy  trades;  —  such  is  the  city  which 
lie  describes.  'I'lm  gorgeous  splendor  of  the  (ircat 
Klian's  palace  and  the  [)erfeet  organization  of  his 
emiiire  correspond  with  this  magnili(.'ent  ea[)ital.  L'n- 
doiihtcdly  there!  is  nuich  exaggeration  in  all  this.  lUit 
it  is  far  from  lu'iiig  wholly  lletion.  '''he  out-worn  and 
tottering  Cliina  of  to-day  gives  us  scarcely  a  hint  of  her 
grandeur  under  the  Mongol  emperors. 

Wliy,  it  may  he  asked,  did  the  harvest  of  I'olo's 
hook  ripen  after  the  seed  luul  lain  inert  two  hundred 
years?  Undoubtedly  because  of  the  invention  of  print- 
ing. The  immediate  consequence  of  this  discovery  was 
a  revival  of  learning.  Hooks  which  had  lain  dormant, 
as  it  were,  like  seed  ke[)t  in  a  dark  place,  the  knowledge 
of  them  being  confined  to  the  few  persous  who  could 
afford  to  buy  hand-written  copies,  suddenly  acquired  a 
living  interest,  like  seed  dropped  into  warm,  moist  earth, 
by  being  scattered  far  and  wide  in  printed  form,  and 
stimulated  a  great  mental  activity.  Thus  the  three 
greatest  events  of  the  fifteenth  century,  the  invention  of 
printing,  the  opening  of  a  sea-route  around  the  Cape  of 
(iood  Hope  to  India,  and  the  discovery  of  America, 
were  closely  connected  one  with  another.  Marco  Polo's 
hook,  under  the  influence  of  this  revived  interest,  be- 
came very  popular,  especially  in    Portugal,   where  the 


) 
t 


'  I  '\ 


'  i« 


12 


The  World's  Discoverers 


spirit  of  exploration  was  very  active.  Her  navigators 
voyaging  down  the  African  coast  had  always  in  mind 
the  fabled  wealth  of  the  far  East.  C'olunibus  was  famil- 
iar with  Polo.  There  is  even  a  Latin  copy  in  existence, 
with  numerous  notes  in  his  handwriting.  He  is  said  to 
have  taken  a  copy  with  him  on  hi;i  voyage,  and  we  know 
that  when  he  steered  west,  Cipango  (Japan)  was  liis 
goal.  We  can  easily  picture  the  great  discoverer  poring 
over  passages  like  this,  during  the  long  weeks  of  his 
voyage :  "  Zipangu  is  an  island  on  the  east,  one  thousand 
live  hundred  miles  distant  from  thu  shores  of  Mangi,  very 
great,  the  people  ot  white  complexion,  of  gentle  be- 
havior, in  religion  idolaters.  They  have  gold  in  great 
plenty ;  and  they  which  have  carried  on  commerce  there 
speak  of  the  king's^  house  covered  with  gold,  as  churches 
here  with  lead,  gilded  windows,  and  floors  of  gold." 
Mangi  was  the  name  for  the  southern  provinces  of  China; 
Cathay,  for  the  northern. 

One  other  traveler  we  must  mention  whose  influence 
was  of  the  same  kind.  Two  or  three  years  before  Marco 
Polo  died,  that  is,  about  1322,  an  English  knight,  Sir 
John  Maundeville,  set  out  for  the  East.  When  he  re- 
turned, after  many  years,  he  nublis'hed  a  book  which  is 
a  most  entertaining  collection  of  ingenious  fancies  min- 
gled with  a  small  proportion  of  facts.  There  is  no  doubt 
that  he  stole  his  account  of  Cathay  and  the  Indies  from 
Friar  Odoric,  a  reputable  but  little-known  traveler. 
The  marvelous  splendor  of  Quinsay,  as  described  by 
Polo,  paled  before  the  inconceivable  magnificence  of 
Prester  John,  as  depicted  by  Maundeville.  At  the 
same  time,  many  of  his  inventions  are  so  amusing  and 


Old  Voyages 


13 


are  told  witli  so  much  apparent  sincerity,  that  one  can- 
not read  them  without  a  smile.  His  work  has  scared}' 
any  value.  Yet  it  became  the  most  popular  book  of 
travels  for  many  generations;  and  we  are  expressly  told 
that  Columbus  was  a  reader  of  it. 

Such  influences  as  these  started  the  great  movement 
to  which  the  world  (>'ves  so  much. 


[  :i 


I 


!■::. 


>  ± 


H 


The  World's  Discoverers 


CHAPTER  II 

THE   ENTEKJ'KJSE   AND  THE   EAJILY   DISCOVEIIIES   Ol!" 
THE  PORTUGUESE 

The  niotlier  of  modern  cx[)loration  was  Portugal,  and 
its  father  was  Iier  Prin'^e  Henry  the  Navigator.  Begin- 
ning early  in  the  fifteenth  centnry,  Portngal  slowly 
pnslied  her  way  down  the  African  coast.  In  this  work 
Prince  Henry  was  untiring.  Ilei.ouncing  the  pleasures 
of  court  life,  he  devoted  himself  to  the  encouragement 
of  foreign  discovery  and  trade.  Progress  was  slow.  A'i 
each  [)romontory  was  reached,  some  other  beyond  it  was 
deemed  impassable.  In  1418  the  Madeira  Islands  were 
discovered.  Not  until  1432  was  Cape  Bojador  reached. 
And  still  another  period  of  fourteen  yeai-s  elapsed  before 
C'a[)e  Verde  was  passed.  Thus,  little  by  little,  the  coast 
became  known  and  charted.  As  the  Equator  was 
a[)proached,  the  old  stories  of  the  impossibility  of  exist- 
ence under  its  heat  were  revived.  Still  the  navigators 
[)ressed  on.  After  the  Cuinea  coast  was  reached,  Por- 
tugal l)egan  to  reap  substantial  rewards  in  the  shape  of  a 
moL^t  profitable  trade  in  ivory  and  gold. 

Thus  the  way  was  gradually  prepared  for  those  splen- 
did discoveries  which  gave  new  worlds  to  the  knowledge 
of  civilized  man.  In  geography,  as  in  all  science,  a 
discoverv  is  rarelv sudden.  Hack  of  the  Inilliant  achieve- 
ment  we  find   the   long   line  of   patient   toilers   whose 


Early  Discoveries  of  the  Portuguese       i  5 

liil)ors  have  led  up  to  the  crowninj^  foat.  So,  ths  suc- 
ci'ssioii  of  advcutiirons  Portuguese  seamen,  for  nearly  a 
liuiulred  yearsgrophig  their  _-jifr^ 

way  down  the  African  coast, 
hattling  with  the  supersti- 
tious terrors  of   ages,    and  ;'^ 
('(piipped    with    only     the  0^ 
rudest  instruments  -^nd  the 
scantiest  {knowledge  of  nav- 
igation, prepared   the  way    ^<^* 
for  the  famous  discoverers 
wliose   achievements  are 
among  the  greatest  facts  of 
history.     They    r.iade    the 
expedition  of   Columbus 
possible. 

We  shall  find  the  Portu- 
guese king  sneering  at  the 
views  of  the  great  Genoese 
as  the  dreams  of  a  boastful 
Italian.  But  it  was  his 
very  devotion  to  the  idea  of 
ea 'li  g  the  Indies  around 
ti. '  .  ,  r.^mity  of  Africa  that 
(iiocyjo  i>'::  mind  to  the  pos- 
sibility i.1  another  route. 
That  India  lay  beyond 
Africa  was  '  crtain.  The 
only  (question  was  whether 
it  was  possible  to  get  around  Africa 
!\<3ved  that  it  was,  and  on  this  belief   he  was 


F       r 

STATUK   OK   rUIXCK    HKNHY    OF 
I'OKTUGAL 


King  Joao  ])e- 


i 


puttin* 


i6 


The  World's  Discoverers 


forth  liis  efforts.     'J'liero  was  something  tangiljle  ahoiit 
what  lie  was  doing:  Cohunbiis's  plan  looked  chimerical. 

Thus  the  real  puri)()se  of  the  Portuguese  explorations 
of  Africa  looked  beyond  iuHnediate  results,  'i'hey  had 
in  view  the  same  object  that  animated  Columbus.  The 
wealth  of  the  Indies,  especially  the  spice  trade,  was 
the  coveted  i)ri7X'.  For  centuries  the  splendid  Asiatic 
connnerce  had  been  controlled  by  Genoa  and  Venice. 
Each  had  a  route  of  its  own,  one  up  the  Persian  Gulf 
and  by  caravan  overland  to  Constantinople;  the  other, 
up  the  Red  Sea  i"^^  '-T^ross  the  Isthmus  of  Suez.  Hut 
after  the  Turks  U,  Jonstantinoi)le,  in  1453,  one  of 
the  outlets  of  Asia's  wealth  was  closed.  To  open  a 
sea-route,  under  Portuguese  control,  for  this  splendid 
ti'ade  was  Joao's  enlightened  [)urpose. 

At  last,  in  1487,  Bartholomew  Diaz  sailed,  with  the 
express  purpose  of  solving  the  great  problem.  After 
having  gone  as  far  as  Cape  Negro,  and  finding  the  coast 
still  trending  southeast,  he  was  swept  away  from  the 
land  and  to  the  south  for  thirteen  days  by  a  gale,  until 
he  eneountjred  severe  cold.  He  turned  east  for  a  con- 
siderable distance  and  then  headed  north.  When  he 
next  sighted  land,  it  trended  northeast.  He  followed 
it  as  far  as  Didagoa  Bay  and  found  the  land  always 
inclining  in  the  same  direction.  There  was  scarcely 
any  room  for  doubt  that  he  had  solved  the  long-vexed 
prol)lem  of  rounding  the  southern  extremity  of  Africa. 

liut  his  men  were  loth  to  venture  further  into  the 
unknown.  Therefore  he  hastened  back,  to  carry  to  his 
master  the  joyful  news.  Following  the  coast  south- 
ward, he  had  great  difficulty  in  passing  a  majestic  prom- 


Early  Discoveries  of  the  Portuguese      1 7 

(iiitory  which,  for  tliat  reason,  he  calleil  Stormy  Cape. 
After  rounding  it  he  knew  surely  that  he  liad  achieved 
success.  When  liis  royal  master  received  the  glad  tid- 
ings, with  his  mind  full  of  splendid  visions,  he  drew  his 
pen  tlirough  the  name  Cabo  Tormentosoon  Diaz's  chart 
and  wrote  one  that  means  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  He 
was  right.  TJie  route  which  the  bold  Diaz  had  laid 
oi)en  was  for  Portugal  the  road  to  the  zenith  of  her 
power  and  to  almost  fabulous  wealth.  One  of  his  com- 
panions was  Bartholomew  Columbus,  and  there  is  every 
I'eason  to  believe  that  the  success  of  this  voyage  stimu- 
lated his  illustrious  brother  to  make  his  great  venture. 

Yet,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  no  step  was  taken  to 
follow  up  this  magnificent  advance  for  ten  years.  Per- 
lia[)s  tliis  was  due  to  the  discovery  of  America,  which 
had  taken  place  in  the  mean  while. 


>   i 


i- 


i8 


The  World's  Discoverers 


CHAPTER  III 


ii  i 


THE  YOUTH  AND  THK  SUIIKOUNDINGS  OF  CHUISTOPHEK 

COLUMBUS 

The  birtlipliice  of  Cliristopher  Columbus  was  singu- 
Iiirly  favorable  to  a  nautical  life.  Ileniiued  in  by 
mountains  wliicli,  as  it  were,  pushed  her  young  men 
out  on  the  ocean  to  seek  their  living,  Genoa  was  a  great 
commercial  city.  She  and  Venice  controlled  almost 
wholly  the  trade  of  the  jMediterranean,  and  there  was 
great  rivalry  between  them.  Marco  Polo,  the  Vene- 
tian, wrote  his  famous  book  while  he  was  a  prisoner  of 
war  a^.  Genoa.  These  two  cities  held  in  their  hands  the 
trade  of  the  far  East,  which  came  in  caravans  to  le 
eastern  end  of  the  JMediterranean,  where  it  met  thoir 
ships.  This  circumstance  would  naturally  turn  the 
thoughts  of  an  inquiring  mind  very  much  to  those  niys- 
terious  lands  of  far  Asia,  from  which  came  the  precious 
spices  and  silks  which  Europe  coveted.  We  have  seen 
liow  the  capture  of  Constantinople  by  the  Turks,  wliich 
occurred  when  Columbus  was  a  little  boy,  closed  one  of 
the  caravan-routes  and  made  the  discovery  of  an  all- 
water  way  to  India,  such  as  the  Portuguese  king  was 
seeking  around  Africa,  very  desirable.  All  these  things 
combined  to  form  the  atmosphere  in  which  the  great 
project  of  Columbus  was  conceived. 


Youth  of  Christopher  Columbus         1 9 


Of  iiis  early  life  we  know  very  little,  except  that  lie 
was  l)orii  al)out  the  year  14-4(5,  of  a  i)Oor  family  f)f 
weavers,  and  received  only  such  education  as  jjcople  of 
that  class  could  give  their  children.  He  himself 
worked  as  an  apprentice  to  his  father.  About  the  a<jc 
of  fourteen  he  made  his  first  sea-voyage.  This  was  the 
year  in  which  Prince  Henry  died.  Thus  he  was  uncon- 
sciiously  training  himself  to  take  up  the  navigator's 
great  work  of  discovery.  He  nuist  have  alternated  be- 
tween sea-voyages  and  weaving,  for  we  have  certain 
knowledge  of  him  as  a  weaver  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
seven.  When  he  next  appears,  it  is  as  a  man  who  has 
a  great  knowledge  both  of  the  theory  and  practice  of 
seamanship.  This  fact  makes  it  certain  that  he  was 
nt'ither  a  common  weaver  nor  a  common  sailor,  but  an 
earnest  student,  drinking  in  knowledge  from  every 
source  he  could  reach.  His  reading  was  wonderfully 
wide  f(U'  one  who  needed  to  labor  incessantly  for  daily 
bread.  Combined  with  a  retentive  memory  and  a  fertile 
imagination,  it  formed  the  stimulus  of  his  great  achieve- 
ments. While  he  was  reading  everything  he  could 
find,  ancient  and  modern,  that  described  remote  parts  of 
llie  globe,  he  was  studying  so  luii-d  the  principles  of 
navigation  that  when  he  became  a  connnander,  his  calcu- 
lations were  singularly  exact. 

On  the  other  hand,  his  practical  seamanship  camiot 
liave  been  gained  otherwise  than  by  a  long  expeiience 
on  the  water.  He  tells  us  that  he  had  sailed  all  the 
east,  Avest,  and  north,  liut  the  wdiole  range  of  naviga- 
tion up  to  his  time  was  very  narrow.  Its  furthest  reach 
southward  was  that  of  the  Portueuese  to  the  mouth  of 


f  ! 


'J        t 


I   ^ 


t-V 


m 


20  The  World's  Discoverers 

the  Congo.  In  this  diroction  Columbus  Imd  sailed, 
certainly  as  far  as  Guinea.  The  extreme  jjoint  west- 
ward was  marked  by  the  Cai)e  Verde  Islands,  off  the 
African  coast.  The  Mediterranean  limited  navigation 
on  tlie  east,  and  Iceland  on  the  north.  It  is  certain 
that  Cohunhus  had  voynged  to  England;  and  some 
writers,  understanding  a  certain  expression  of  his  to 
mean  that  he  once  visited  Iceland,  have  built  on  this 
slender  basis  a  theory  that  he  there  heard  the  story  of 
the  Norsemen,  who  are  said  to  have  sailed  to  Vinland, 
and  thus  got  the  idea  of  seeking  land  in  the  west.  This 
pleasing  bit  of  fancy  we  may  at  once  dismiss.  We 
know  very  certainly  the  goal  which  Columbus  had  in 
mind  when  he  sailed  out  into  the  Sea  of  Darkness.  It 
was  the  Cipango  (Japan)  of  Marco  Polo's  wonderful 
story. 

Besides,  there  surely  was  in  many  minds  a  growing 
conviction  that  the  eastern  shore  of  Asia  could  be 
reached  by  sailing  west  from  Europe.  The  belief  in 
the  roundness  of  the  Earth  was  taught  by  some 
of  the  wisest  of  the  Greeks,  centuries  before  Christ. 
From  that  time  forth  there  were  always  some  among 
the  learned  who  held  it.  It  seems  that  it  was  one  of 
the  ancient  writers  that  convinced  Columbus  of  it. 
But  if  the  earth  is  a  globe,  it  follows  that  by  going  west 
on  a  given  parallel  one  would  come  to  the  same  point  as 
by  going  east. 

There  were,  also,  certain  traditions  of  lands  in  the 
western  ocean.  One  related  to  a  great  continental  island 
called  Atlantis,  which  had  stood  opposite  the  Pillars  of 
Hercules   (Straits   of   Gibraltar)  and  had  sunk  in  the 


Youth  of  Christopher  Columbus         21 

orcjin  wliioli  boars  its  name.  From  anotlicr  idiaginary 
island,  Anlilla,  the  Antilles  are  named,  and  from  still 
aiioLlicr  lirazil  is  called. 

The  trne  greatness,  then,  of  Colnmhns  lay  not  in  con- 
ceiving a  totally  new  idea,  bnt  in  grasping  the  practical 
hearing  of  one  which  he  shared  with  others,  in  having 
faith  tf)  trust  it,  and  in  clinging  with  indomitable  i)er- 
sistency  to  the  purpose  of  realizing  it.  It  does  not  take 
anything  from  his  just  fame  to  say  that  the  world's  best 
thinking  had  advanced  so  far  that  the  discovery  of 
America  was  inevitable.  It  could  not  have  been  delayed 
iiuiny  years.  The  Portuguese  navigators  had  grown  so 
hold,  especially  after  Diaz  had  doubled  Good  Hope,  that 
they  took  a  far  western  course  in  their  southern  voyages ; 
and  thus  it  happened  that,  in  1500,  Cabral,  sailing  to 
India,  was  blown  out  of  his  way  by  an  easterly  gale  and 
hrought  up  on  the  coast  of  Hrazil.  Without  Columbus, 
tiiis  would  have  been  the  discovery  of  America. 

liack  of  Columbus  we  must  recognize  the  long  line  of 
those  who  prepared  the  way  for  his  great  achievement, 
ancient  sages  thinking  out  the  prol)lem  of  the  earth's 
sliape;  thoughtful  students  keeping  alive  the  belief  in 
its  roundness,  in  the  face  of  the  common  notion  of  its 
ilatness;  patient  calculators  working  o\it  the  principles 
(if  navigation  and  devising  instruments  to  apply  them; 
the  inventors  of  the  art  of  printing,  which  gave  circula- 
tion to  hooks  that  had  been  known  only  to  the  learned, 
and  brought  them  within  the  reach  of  obscure  persons 
like  Columbus;  the  makers  of  maps  and  charts,  who  set 
dttwn  what  was  known  of  the  lands  and  seas,  together 
with  their  own  often  very  erroneous  ideas;  and,   last, 


f 


i 

^    I, 


!  t*l 


l-JftS 


U'\ 


22 


The  World's  Discoverers 


(» 


tlioso  briivo  Portngv^sc  soiuiuMi  who  had  been  pusiriii 
thi'ir  wiiy  (h»\vii  the  Afrieiin  roust.  As  we  liavo  scon, 
liai'lholomcw  Coliiinhus  siiilcd  witli  Diaz  in  liis  sj^reat 
voyat^c;  and  llicrc;  is  no  doid)t  that  its  success  hirgely 
inspired  Christopher. 

ilut  how  came  it,  somebody  may  ask,  that  Cohimhiis 
hhni(k;r('d  so  tr{!men(h)iisly  as  to  k)ok  for  Asia  wliere 
vVmeriea  really  is?  The  answer  is,  that  up  to  his  time 
our  planet  was  sup[)osed  to  he  much  smaller  than  it 
actually  is.  The  Arabian  astronomers  made  its  circum- 
ference about  20,400  miles,  and  Toscanelli,  a  famous 
Italian,  wliom  CoUnnbus  consulted,  put  it  at  about 
18,000.  Thus  the  whole  vast  width  of  the  Pacilic  was 
undreamed  of.  Of  the  earth's  surface  two-thirds  were 
supposed  to  be  known,  and  C(jlundjus  imagined  Asia 
to  extend  far  into  the  remaining  third.  This  would 
bring  its  eastern  coast,  to  use  his  own  words,  ''neigh- 
boring to  S[)ain  and  Africa."  It  was  a  most  happy  mis- 
take. Had  Columbus  known  that  Cipango  really  was 
It, 000  miles  away,  mortal  courage  would  have  shrunk 
from  attempting  to  sail  thither.  By  this  happy  error 
he  "sought  a  way  and  found  a  world."  In  all  history 
there  is  no  calculated  sucrjcss  comparable  with  this 
brilliant  blunder. 

Let  us  pass  over  as  briefly  as  possible  the  story  of 
Columbus's  varied  experiences  and  harassing  disappoint- 
ments prior  to  his  great  voyage.  At  some  time  in  his 
early  life  he  received  a  wound.  But  the  story  that  he 
was  engaged  in  a  great  sea-fight  off  the  coast  of  Portu- 
gal, and  when  his  shii)  took  (ire,  leaped  into  the  sea  and 
swam  ashore  with  the  aid  of  an  oar,  probably  is  one  of 


■a: 

i       en 


Youth  of  Christopher  Columbus         23 

llioso  inytlis  which  (quickly  s^jrhig  up  about  tlic  career 
of  a  fainoMs  man. 

Tlifif  was  t'very  reason  wliy  ho  shouhl  tlehberately 
rfn  In  I'oilun'al.  It  was  at  that  time  the  most  attrac- 
tive portion  ol'  the  world  to  an  ambitious  sea-faring  man. 
i),'si(U's  its  conunei'cial  activity,  it  was  the  [tioneer  in 
(■\l)h)nition.  His  residence  there  certainly  stimulated 
his  thirst  for  great  achievement.  On  his  ardent  and 
iiuiiginative  nature  it  nuist  have  acted  like  lire  applied 
to  fuel,  to  see  expeditions  returning  from  foreign  dis- 
covery and  to  witness,  as  he  did,  the  triumphant  home- 
coming of  liartholomew  Diaz  after  his  great  ex[)loit. 
Soon  we  lind  him  settled  in  Lisbon  in  the  business  of 
iniii)-Miaking,  one  which  in  those  days  re(piired  a  high 
order  of  knowledge  and  skill.  His  marriage  to  the 
(laughter  of  Perestrello,  one  of  I'rince  Henry's  noted 
cii[)tains,  was  aiother  link  in  the  chain  of  his  destiny. 
His  wife's  mother  gave  him  her  deceased  husband's 
ma[)s,  charts,  and  memoranda  of  voyages  and  routes. 
Still  another  link  was  his  removal  to  Porto  Santo,  a  little 
island  in  Madeira,  where  Perestrello  had  once  been 
governor,  and  where  his  wife  inherited  a  small  property. 
Porto  Santo  lay  in  the  very  track  of  vessels  going  to  and 
from  (luincii,  and  Columbus  nnist  often  have  talked 
with  men  who  had  reached  fame  and  fortune  by  the  road 
of  foreign  adventure.  No  doubt  it  was  at  this  time  that 
lie  made  a  voyage  to  Guinea. 

We  know  certainly  tliat  his  mind  was  very  early  occu- 
liied  with  the  great  project  of  his  life,  for  we  lind  him 
writing  to  consult  Toscanelli,  a  learned  doctor  of  Flor- 
ence, as  to  the  possibility  of  reaching  Eastern  Asia  by 


F 


I 


'W 


w 


; 


:   '' 


24 


The  World's  Discoverers 


sailinjjf  across  the  western  oeeiiii.  The  f^re.it  seliolar's 
rejily  assured  liiiu  coiilideiitly  of  its  I'easihility  and  was 
aeeonipanied  by  a  map  inti'inU'd  to  (K'lnonstrate  it.  The 
map  is  h)st,  hut  from  other  sourees  we  know  very  well 
wliat  it  was  like.  It  must  have  been  very  cheering  to 
('olumhus  to  receive  encouragement  from  so  high  a 
(juarter.  r»ut  ho  was  destined  to  jjass  eighteen  years  of 
weary  waiting  and  bitter  (lisa[ti)ointment,  ere  lie  would 
be  able  to  carry  out  his  great  design. 

We  all  know  something  of  the  story  of  those  years. 
One  of  the  most  melaneholy  pictures  in  history  is  that 
of  the  great  genius  enduring  the  op[)ositi()n  of  the  igno- 
rant and  the  sneers  of  the  arrogant,  while,  as  Irving 
strikingly  says,  he  "begged  his  way  from  c(mrt  to 
court,  to  offer  to  princes  the  discovery  of  a  world." 

His  first  pro[)osal  was  made  to  the  King  of  Portugal, 
and  it  is  a  familiar  story,  how  that  monarch,  while 
pretending  to  consider  it,  put  his  maps  and  plans  into 
the  hands  of  one  of  his  ca[)tains  and  sc-retly  despatched 
him  to  try  the  route.  After  sailing  westward  some  days 
and  finding  nothing,  the  vessel  came  back,  and  the 
pilots  made  a  report  ridiculing  the  project.  Columbus, 
so  soon  as  he  heard  of  the  base  attempt  to  steal  his  great 
idea,  quit  Portugal,  disgusted,  but  not  the  less  firm  in 
his  conviction. 

At  the  same  time  he  sent  his  brother  Bartholomew  to 
lay  a  like  proposition  before  the  English  king,  but  with 
small  hopes  of  success,  since  England  was  at  that  time 
almost  unknown  as  a  maritime  power.  Happily,  Colum- 
bus did  not  expect  much  in  that  quarter.  The  king 
who  afterwards  paid  John  Cabot  fifty  dollars  fordiscov' 


ii 


m 


11(1  was 
.  Tlio 
vy  wi'll 
ring  to 
liigh  11 
yi'iirs  ol' 
J  would 

3  years. 
^'  is  that 
lie  igiio- 
i  Irving 
2ourt  to 
Id." 

'ortugal, 
1,  whilo 
lans  into 
spatched 
)nie  days 
and  the 
)hinibus, 
his  great 
iS  tirm  in 

lomew  to 
but  with 
that  time 
y,  Coluni- 
The  king 
or  discov 


Youth  o{  Cliristophcr  Coliunlnis         25 

ering  Xtntli  America,  —  llie  entry  in  IleiiiT  (lie  ScNcnlli's 
(leasnry  act;onnt  rnns,  "To  liini  who  foiuid  the  new 
lie,  £10,"  —  would  scarcely  have  proved  a  very  generous 
icition  of  untried  projects. 

Spain  was  now  the  most  hopefid  country,  and  to  this 
Ciihunhus  bent  his  ste[)S.  It  would  make  onr  sluiy  too 
long  il'  we  should  attempt  to  give  even  the  merest  skrtih 
of  the  deli.ys  and  heart-rending  disai»[)ointments  of  t!;e 
next  years.  Kvery  reader  is  familiar,  probably,  v.it'i 
the  picture  of  the  melancholy,  shabby  figure  following 
the  couit  from  city  to  city  and  haunting  the  royal  ante- 
chambci',  befriended  by  few,  laughed  at  by  many,  scorned 
hy  the  most,  mocked  at  by  the  very  children  in  the 
streets. 

As  to  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  the  simple  fact  is  that 
they  acted  v(>ry  craftily  towards  Cobunbus.  Tl 'y  did 
nut  wish  to  see  him  cany  his  project  to  another  court; 
there  might  be  something  in  it,  and  they  wished  to  hold 
it  ill  reser\'e.  liiit  absorbingly  occupied  as  they  were 
with  pushing  the  war  against  the  !\bK)rs,  they  thought 
they  could  not  spare  money  to  give  it  a  trial.  Their 
liolicy,  therefore,  was  to  feed  his  hopes  with  fair  prom- 
ises, while  they  did  not  connnit  themselves  to  anything. 
And  they  played  their  game  so  well  that  they  succeeded 
ill  keeping  him  in  attendance  until  their  own  afYairs 
allowed  them  to  take  up  his  matter  at  their  leisure. 

At  last,  with  the  eventful  year  1402,  the  sun  of 
("itlumbus  rose.  Granada,  the  last  stronghold  of  the 
•Moors,  fell.  Columbus  witnessed  the  solemn  ceremony, 
as  lioabdil,  the  last  of  the  Moorish  kings,  came  forth 
from  the  famed  Alhambra  and  delivered  its  keys  to  his 


T 


/    '! 


I 

I 
i 


i 


26 


The  World's  Discoverers 


eoiKiuerors.  Fordiiiiiud  and  Isabella  had  no  longer  any 
excuse  for  i)utting  off  Columbus.  They  took  up  his 
a|)[)lication. 

A  short  time  before,  a  way-worn  traveler,  with  a 
little  boy,  had  stopi)ed  at  thu  gate  of  the  convent  of  La 
Kiibida  and  a.^ked  a  cup  of  water  and  a  crust  of  bread 
for  the  child.  It  was  Columbus.  His  wife  and  his 
eliildrcn  were  dead,  excepu  this  little  Diego  and  a 
younger  brother,  Ferdinand,  the  son  of  another  mother. 
He  was  seeking  his  wife's  sister,  who  lived  not  far 
away,  intending  to  leave  the  child  with  her  while  he 
should  go  elsewhere.  His  patience  was  exhausted.  He 
was  quitting  Spain. 

On  wliat  trivial  incidei:ts  do  great  results  sometimes 
de[)end!  His  stopping  at  tue  gate  of  La  Ilabida  proved 
to  be  the  turiiingTpoint  in  the  life  of  Columbus.  The 
prior,  Juan  Perez  de  Marchena,  a  scholar  and  a  man 
of  warm  and  generous  nature,  was  struck  with  the 
sliabl)y  stranger's  noble  air  and  bearing,  entered  into 
conversation  with  him,  listened,  first  with  e-iriosity, 
then  with  deei)ening  interest,  to  his  views,  and  deter- 
mined to  befriend  him.  He  sent  for  some  of  his  neigh- 
bors, men  of  knowledge  in  nautical  matters,  and  they 
heard  Columbus  detail  his  ideas.  They  found  much  that 
was  reasonable  in  them  and  that  was  confirmed  by 
things  that  tliey  knew  or  believed.  One  of  these  men 
was  Martin  .Vlonzo  Pin/on,  a  pilot  of  Palos  and  a 
wealthy  man,  who  later  became  Columbus's  chief 
lieutenant. 

The  result  of  the  conference  was  that  Marchena,  who 
had    fcmierly  been  Lsabella's   confessor   and   still    had 


M 


Youth  of  Christopher  Columbus         27 


i^n-t'iit  iiifliienoe  \vit)i  her,  lirst  wrote,  and  then  went  in 
[icistin  to  ini[)h)ru  her  not  to  let  Colnmbns  go  from 
S[)ain.  His  intervention  was  successtii^  She  sent  to 
('i)hunhus  money  to  enable  him  to  travel  decently  to 
the  conrt.  Negotiations  were  resumed,  and  all  went 
wvll,  when  a  new  dilliculty  arose.  Columbus's  de- 
mands seemed  extravagant.  Nothing  less  would  con- 
tent  him  than  that  he  should  be  at  once  appointed 
Admiral,  with  the  future  title  of  Viceroy  of  any  coun- 
tries lie  might  discover,  and  should  receive  one-tenth  of 
all  the  gains,  either  by  trade  or  conquest.  The  pride 
ol'  Spanish  nobles  revolted  at  these  demands  from  an 
indigent  stranger,  and  they  were  indignantly  refused. 

Columbus  would  not  consent  to  abate  them  one  par- 
ticle and  actually  mounted  his  mule  and  rode  away, 
(liiitting  Spain,  as  he  thought,  forever.  When  he  had 
traveled  some  miles,  a  royd  messenger,  riding  furiously, 
overtook  him  and  bade  him  come  back  to  court:  his 
terms  would  be  accepted.  The  first  great  victory  was 
won ! 


■ 


I 

u 


I 
1 


28 


The  World's  Discoverers 


CHAPTER  IV 


y 

!■ 

'"■ 

■1 

1. 

1 

THE   FIRST   VOYAGE  AND  THE   DISCOVERY  OF  AMERICA 

Theue  was  11  poetic  fitness  in  Columbus's  starting 
from  the  point  where  he  first  received  encouragenjent. 
To  Pah)S  the  royal  order  sent  him  for  his  equipment. 
The  agreement  with  Ferdinand  and  Isabella  had  been 
signed  in  April,  and  in  May  it  was  read  in  the  church  at 
Palos.  It  re(piired  the  town  to  furnish  the  Admiral,  as 
lie  now  was  by  royal  appointment,  with  two  small  vessels 
known  as  caravels.  This  was  easy  enough.  But  great 
difficulties  arose  as  to  securing  crews.  In  spite  of  four 
months'  wages  to  be  paid  in  advance,  sailors  were  loth 
to  shi[)  f(»r  what  seemed  the  maddest  voyage  that  men 
ever  sailed  on.  Again  despotic  power  came  to  the  res- 
cue. An  officer  was  sent  from  the  court  with  authority 
to  seize  shi^js  and  impress  men.  By  this  means  and 
through  the  influf^nce  of  the  thveo  Pinzon  brothers,  who 
threw  themselves  heart  and  soul  into  the  enterprise, 
the  complement  of  sailors  was  obtained. 

A  pitiful  affair  the  little  fleet  seemed,  if  we  consider 
the  years  spent  in  obtaining  it  and  the  vastness  of  tlie 
undertaking.  Only  one  vessel  was  as  large  as  one  of 
our  ordinary  coasting  schooners  and  was  decked  over. 
She  was  the  admiral's  flag -ship,  was  called  the  "Santa 
Mar'a,"  sometimes  the  "  Marigalante,  "  was  manned  by 
fifty-two  men,  and  carried  an  armament  of  small  guns 
known  as  lombards.    Her  owner,  Juan  de  la  Cosa,  went 


First  Voyage  and  Discovery  of  America      29 

along  as  pilot.  He  afterwards  became  a  famous  man. 
Tiic  other  two  craft,  which  the  town  of  Palos  had  been 
compelled  to  furnish,  were  mere  cock-boats,  open  in  the 
middle,  with  little  cabins  built  at  the  bow  and  stern 
into  which  the  crews  were  huddled.  One  of  these,  the 
"Piiitii,"  was  commanded  by  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon, 
with  his  brother,  Francis  Martin  Pinzon,  as  pilot. 
Among  her  crew  were  her  two  owners,  men  of  Palos, 
will)  wore  reluctant  to  part  with  their  vessel  when  she 
was  forced  into  the  service.  The  other  caravel,  the 
"Ninii,"  had  a  third  member  of  the  bold  Pinzon  family, 
Vicente  Yanez  Pinzon,  as  captain.  Each  of  the  smaller 
craft  had  on  board  eighteen  men,  and  the  united  crews 
numbered  eighty-eight.  In  this  little  bi  .-d  were  some 
who,  besides  the  renown  of  taking  part  in  this  immortal 
voyage,  afterwards  achieved  fame  on  their  own  account. 
One  of  these  was  Bermudez,  the  discoverer  of  Bermuda. 

After  the  members  of  the  expedition  had  received  the 
Connnunion  together,  on  the  3d  of  August,  14U2, 
just  when  the  golden  light  of  a  summer  morning  was 
overspreading  the  purple  sea,  and  in  full  sigh,  >('  the 
liospitable  walls  of  La  Ilabida,  the  little  squadron  .uxl 
(Hit  from  the  shore.  This  was  lined  with  friends  weep- 
in  n'  and  wringing  their  hands  for  those  whom  they 
ilmuojit  they  should  never  see  again.  On  the  ships 
i!itiv  was  not  much  better  cheer,  many  of  the  sailors 
filing  very  reluctantly  and  some  having  been  forced. 

So  fully  did  the  thought  of  Asia  fill  the  minds  of  all 
concerned,  that  the  king  and  queen  actually  sent  by 
(Columbus  a  letter  addressed  to  the  Grand  Khan,  or 
Emperor  of  China,  and  an  interpreter  who  could  speak 


0:i 


I 


!i  1 


,.\ 


30 


The  World's  Discoverers 


many  Eastern  languages  accompanied  luni.  Columbus 
steered  soutli  as  far  as  the  Canaries,  "/^ore  he  was  de- 
layed three  weeks  by  certain  unavoidable  repairs.  At 
last,  on  the  9th  of  September,  the  vessels  lost  sight  of 
tlie  most  westerly  of  the  Canaries,  the  last  bit  of  the 
Old  World,  and  steered  forth  on  the  broad  Atlantic, 
heading  a  little  to  the  south  of  west. 

Happily,  we  are  able  to  ascertain  [)recisely  the  reasons 
which  determined  Columbus's  choice  of  a  course. 
Martin  Behaim  was  a  scientific  German,  who  was  born 
in  the  same  year  and  died  in  the  same  year  with  Colum- 
bus, [jike  him,  he  had  lived  some  time  in  one  of  the 
colonial  islands  of  i'ortugal,  had  voyaged  as  far  as  the 
coast  of  Guinea,  and  was  a  stiulent  of  the  science  of 
navigation.  There  is  every  reason  to  believe  that  they 
were  acquainted.  He  discovered  no  new  world,  but 
he  helped  to  make  it  possible  for  Columbus  to  do  so. 
\^j  ida[)ting  the  astrolabe,  an  instrument  for  calculat- 
ing latitude  by  observing  the  heavenly  bodies,  to  use  at 
sea,  he  furnished  the  means  by  which  a  trained  navi- 
gator, out  on  the  broad  ocean,  with  nothing  in  sight  but 
sky  and  sea,  can  determine  very  closely  the  i)osition  of 
his  ship.  T'.iis  was  one  of  his  great  services  to  the 
world.  Another  was  the  construction  of  his  famous 
globe,  which  is  still  proudly  cherished  and  shown  in  his 
native  city  of  NurtMnberg.  It  is  quite  certain  that 
Columbus  never  saw  it,  but  it  is  t'(pially  certain  that  he 
held  the  same  views  as  those  upon  which  it  is  based. 
The  map  which  Toscanelli  sent  to  Cohunbus  is  lost, 
but  the  liehaim  globe  gives  us  a  very  good  idea  what 
it  was  like. 


minis 
IS  (le- 
.  At 
rht  of 
r)f  the 
iiintic, 

easons 
lourse. 
s  born 
3oluin- 
of  the 
as  the 
3nce  of 
at  they 
a,  hut 
do  so. 
ilculat- 
)  use  at 
(1  iiavi- 
ght  hut 
iition  of 
to  the 
famous 
n  in  liis 
,in   that 
that  ho 
based, 
is  lost, 
ea  what 


v1i 


1 

■  f  i 


'• 


.~- — 


^m 


■ 

-, 

j 

First  Voyage  and  Discovery  of  America      3  3 

Any  reader  who  wishes  to  have  a  clear  notion  of  wliat 
the  vvisest  men  of  that  day  believed  as  to  the  distribu- 
tion of  land  on  the  earth's  surface  will  do  well  to  study 
this  globe  quite  closely.  It  shows  precisely  the  state  of 
geographical  knowledge  in  the  year  1492,  in  which  it 
was  finished,  and  it  will  help  him  to  understand  the 
great  error  which  led  to  the  discoveiy  of  America. 
He  will  see  tliat,  starting  from  Teneriffe,  in  the  Cana- 
ries, and  hohling  a  steady  course  a  little  to  the  soutli  of 
west,  if  that  globe  were  correct,  he  would  come  to 
Cipango   (Japan). 

IJy  a  happy  cliance,  Columbus,  in  making  the  first 
voyage  to  America,  struck  out  for  himself  the  very  best 
route  possible.  The  experience  of  centuries  could  not 
have  guided  him  to  a  better.  The  intense  heat  of  the 
sun  at  the  Equator  causes  a  constant  column  of  hot  air 
to  rise.  Other  air  coming  to  fill  the  vacuum  thus 
created  moving  at  a  low  velocity,  while  the  earth  re- 
volves swiftly  toward  the  east,  the  effect  is  produced  of 
a  wind  blowing  always  from  the  east.  North  of  the 
line  it  is  a  northeast  wind,  south  of  the  line  a  southeast 
wind.  Year  after  year  ind  age  after  age  these  "con- 
stant trades  "  blow,  so  tliav  a  vessel  once  having  set  her 
sails  may  leave  them  undistur'neJ  for  days.  A  young 
niiui  who  once  crossed  the  Atlantic  on  a  sailing  vessel 
has  told  the  writer  that  for  eleven  days  the  crew  did  not 
need  to  touch  a  brace.  Since  Columbus's  time  this  has 
been  the  great  ocean  higln\ay  for  vessels  coming  west. 
Even  those  destined  to  ports  many  hundreds  of  miles 
to  the  north  of  this  belt  go  south,  in  order  to  get  the 

benefit  of  the  constant  wind. 

3 


l« 


te 


HI  'tt 


hi  'I 


^^F 


I- 


34 


The  World's  Discoverers 


Into  this  region  of  the  northeast  trade  Columbns  had 
unwittingly  run.  Day  after  day  tlie  vessels  were  driven 
steadily  towards  the  western  world  over  a  sea  as  smooth, 
wrote  Coknnbus,  as  "the  Guadalquivir  at  Seville," 
while  the  air  was  as  balmy  as  "April  in  Andalusia." 
But  even  this  circumstance  added  to  the  terror  of  the 
superstitious  sailors.  The  wind  blowing  day  after  day 
from  the  same  quarter  was  contrary  to  all  their  experi- 
ence, and  tl'cre  seemed  to  be  something  uncanny  in  it. 
How,  they  asked,  would  it  ever  be  possible  to  sail  back 
to  Spain  if  the  wind  blew  always  in  the  opposite  direc- 
tion? And  what  was  the  meaning  of  this  strangely 
smooth  sea?  They  began  to  fancy  that  they  were  com- 
ing into  a  part  of  the  world  Avhere  everything  was 
to|)sy-turvy.  It  was  a  positive  relief  to  Columbus  wlien, 
one  day,  they  had  a  light  head  wind,  and  when,  a  few 
days  later,  there  came  a  stiff  northwester  and  kicked 
up  quite  a  swell. 

Another  thing  that  alarmed  the  sailor^s  was  that  the 
compass  was  seen  to  point  no  longer  directly  to  the  pole 
star.  In  this  strange  world  that  they  were  sailing  into, 
was  even  the  faithful  compass  becoming  unreliable  ?  If 
so,  what  guide  would  they  have  on  the  vast,  trackless 
deep?  Even  the  experienced  pilots  were  peri)lexed. 
Columbus  studied  over  it  some  time.  Then  he  called 
his  people  together  and  told  them  that  there  was  not 
anything  to  be  alarmed  about,  that  the  compass  was  as 
steady  as  ever,  but  the  pole  star,  they  must  remember, 
was  describing  a  circle  in  the  heavens.  This  explana- 
tion did  not  really  amount  to  anything.  We  can  only 
say,  so  far  as  the  matter  is  understood  to-day,  that  the 


SJ  ,:i 


First  Voyage  and  Discovery  of  America      35 

ponipjiss  varies  beciuise  tlie  earth's  in  ignetio  pole,  to 
wliicli  the  needle  always  jjoints,  is  n(»t  [jrecisely  at  the 
north  pole.  Hut  Cohunhus's  reassuring  words  satisfied 
tlie  men. 

Tlie  great  navigator.,  with  all  his  dreaminess,  had  a 
large  fund  of  shrewd  cunning.  We  see  an  instance 
of  tliis  in  his  systematically  misleading  the  men  as  to 
the  distance  sailed  each  day,  by  i)osting  on  the  hullc- 
tin-board  a  smaller  nund)er  of  miles  than  the  actual 
one,  while  he  kept  a  trv;e  record  in  private.  1 1  is 
object  in  doing  this  was,  that  if  they  should  sail 
the  distance  which  he  had  predicted  wouhl  l»ring 
them  to  land,  without  (inding  any,  the  men  would  not 
know  it. 

Now  came  a  new  cause  of  alarm.  The  voyagers  had 
run  into  the  famed  Sargasso  Sea,  that  great  tract  of  the 
Atlantic  that  is  full  of  floating  seaweed,  so  that  in 
places  it  looks  like  a  drowned  meadow.  This  singular 
collection  has  been  explained  by  Commodore  j\Iaury, 
whose  study  of  the  ocean  currents  has  made  navigation 
much  safer  and  quicker.  Put  a  number  of  bits  of  cork 
into  a  bfisin  of  water,  and  then  give  it  a  whirling  motion. 
The  corks  will  crowd  towards  the  centre,  whei'c  there 
is  the  least  motion.  "Just  such  a  basin  is  the  Atlantic 
Ocean  to  the  Gulf  Stream,  and  the  Sargasso  Sea  is  the 
contre  of  the  whirl."  Of  course  Columbus  knew  noth- 
ing of  its  cause,  and  we  are  not  informed  by  what  argu- 
ments he  quieted  the  men,  who  had  begun  to  fear  that 
they  were  entering  a  sea  of  weeds  which  would  giow 
denser  and  denser  until  the  ships  would  be  unable  to  go 

'wards,  and  thev  would 


liey 


pel 


4 

't  lis  , 


u 


I      . 


36 


The  World's  Discoverers 


■ 


i 


■  1 


niiseraldy  in  niid-occan,  as  tliey  liad  heard  of  men  dying 
a  wrc'tclied  death,  frozen-in  in  icy  seas. 

Except  for  the  terror  and  angry  discontent  of  tiie 
saihirs,  whicii  grew  worse  as,  first,  (hiys,  tlien  weeks, 
slipi)e(l  ])y,  and  still  nothing  was  seen  bnt  the  watery 
waste,  tlu!  voyage  wonld  liavo  been  delightful.  The 
weather  was  ex([uisite,  and  the  sea  so  smooth  and  warm 
that  the  men  often  swam  alongside.  The  sunrises  were 
grand,  and  at  evening  the  clouds  sometimes  piled  them- 
selves into  gorgeous  masses  gilded  by  the  rays  of  the 
setting  sun,  sometimes  lay  low  along  the  horizon  in  so 
cunning  sinuilation  of  islands  that  the  most  experienced 
eyes  were  deceived.  Everybody  was  on  the  alert.  At 
any  moment  one  of  the  fabled  islands,  very  real  to  those 
early  navigators,  might  rise  from  the  sea,  — St.  Bran- 
dan,  or  Antilla,  or  the  Islai.d  of  the  Seven  Cities,  about 
which  the  story  I'an  that,  seven  centuries  earlier,  when 
the  Moors  overran  Spain,  seven  bishops  with  their  people 
took  ship,  sailed  out  into  the  Sea  of  Darkness,  found 
an  island,  and  on  it  built  seven  cities. 

It  was  natural  that  men  in  this  state  of  eager  expec- 
tation would  often  be  mistaken.  Several  times  the  joyful 
cry  of  "  Land  I  "  was  raised,  when  what  was  seen  proved 
to  be  nothing  but  a  sunset  effect.  Once  the  "Pinta," 
running  ahead,  fired  a  gun  and  hove-to,  and  Pinzon, 
when  Columbus  came  up,  shouted,  "Land,  Senor!  I 
claim  the  reward."  The  king  and  queen  had  promised 
a  pension  for  life,  and  Cohunbus  a  velvet  cloak,  to  the 
man  who  should  first  see  land.  The  crews  manned  the 
rigging.  Everybody  was  convinced  that  land  was  in 
sight,  and  joy  was  universal.     On  each  ship  the  anthem 


11 


First  Voyage  ami  Discovery  of  America      37 


filory   1)0    to   (i(m1    1)11    lii<jli,"  was   solciiiiilv  icci 


ted. 


Alas  I  When  ihv  course  was  altered,  the  raiicied 
Aiitilla  faded  into  a  (doiid-liaidc.  So  often  did  these 
mistakes  oeciir,  that  ('oIuimI)US  aiinomieed  that  whoever 
raised  the  cry  of  "Land I"  wlien  no  hmd  was  theic, 
wouhl  be  disqualified  from  ever  receiving-  the  reward. 

The  lon<T  passage,  the  oontinue(l  sus[)ense,  and  tli(> 
repeated  disa[)[)ointnients  were  disheartening  the  men. 
'I'hey  wei'e  becoming  convinced  that  theic  was  no  land 
ahead,  however  far  they  might  sail.  1  liey  beeam*^ 
(([H'uly  insubordinate.  This  foreignei",  they  said  among 
themselves,  cared  nothing  for  their  lives.  If  they  should 
turn  back  to  Spain,  their  united  rejiort  would  weigh 
more  than  anything  he  could  say.  Or  they  might  even 
get  rid  of  liiin  overboard,  and  nobody  would  ever  be  the 
wiser.  The  Admii'al  tried  to  encourage  them  by  assur- 
ances tliat  land  was  close  at  hand;  but  in  any  case,  he 
said,  "  whether  they  complained  or  not,  he  would  go  on 
until  he  found  the  Indies,  with  the  help  of  God." 

Fortunately,  there  were  by  this  time  many  signs  of 
the  nearness  of  land.  Throughout  the  voyage  eveiy  in- 
dication had  been  carefully  watched,  such  as  an  ocea- 
sior.al  bird,  a  live  crab,  a  floating  weed,  or  fish  such  as 
eonunonly  frequent  rocks.  Now  ducks  were  sevtMal 
times  seen  flying  overhead,  and  one  morning  some  little 
birds  lighted  on  the  rigging  and  sang  merrily.  These 
little  warblers  put  the  sailors  greatly  in  heart,  foi'  tliey 
observed  that  they  were  of  a  kind  usuall}'  seen  about 
groves  and  orchards,  and  their  singing  showed  that  they 
were  not  exhausted,  as  they  would  have  been  by  a  long 
ilight.     About  the  same  time  a  bush,  evidently  (|uite 


I 


M 


38  The  World's  Discoverers 

fresh,  with  hci-rios  on  il,  was  scrii  lldiitiiijjf,  and  l)ir(l8 
wcic  ohscivcd  ahont  snnsct  flying  in  a  soutliwcstcrn 
(lircclidii,  as  if  to  thoir  niostinj^f-phic*'.  At  the  ur^'cnt 
rccjucst  of  IMiizon,  Cohnubus  changed  Ids  course  to 
tlie  same  point,  reniendK^ring  that  the  Portuguese  ex- 
j)h)rers  liad  often  been  led  to  the  diseoveiy  of  ishmds 
hy  foUowiiig  the  (light  of  Inrds.  I  Jut  for  this  change 
of  course,  Cohnnhus  would  most  likely  have  had  a 
longer  voyage,  would  have  made  land  on  the  Florida 
coast,  and  so  would  have  discovered  the  maiidand  of 
North  America,  on  which  he  never  laid  eyes. 

On  October  the  11th  the  A(bniral,  standing  at  night 
on  the  poo[)  of  the  Hag-ship,  and  gazing  intently  into  the 
darkness,  saw  a  light  at  some  distance.  It  disai)peared, 
reai)peare(l,  and  then  vanished.  The  lookout  at  the 
masthead  also  saw  it  and  cried  out,  ''A  light!  Land!  " 
That  night  not  an  eye  was  closed  on  the  fleet,  while 
the  vessels  held  their  course,  under  easy  sail,  the  "  Pinta" 
leading.  The  moon  rose,  and  about  two  o'clock  in  the 
morning  of  the  12th  the  lookout-man  on  the  "Pinta" 
shouted,  "Land!"  Soon  it  was  plainly  visible  to  all, 
the  moon  shining  brightly  on  the  white  beach.  The 
vessels  hove-to  until  daylight. 

Karly  in  the  morning  Columbus  went  ashore,  followed 
by  the  captains  of  the  other  two  shij)S,  and  unfurling 
the  royal  banner  of  Spain,  knelt  and  returned  thanks  to 
God,  then  solemnly  took  possession  of  the  land  in  the 
name  of  the  King  and  Queen,  while  a  crowd  of  natives 
gazed  in  wonder  at  the  pale  strangers  and  their  huge 
winged  canoes.  They  soon  overcame  their  awe,  and 
some  swam  off  to  the  shi[)s,  while  others  pressed  around 


First  Voyage  ami  Discovery  of  America      39 

llit'ir  visitors  mid  coimnuirKMtrd  with  tliciii  l>y  siccus, 
(iiiaiialiiiiii  WHS  IIkmi*  iiuinc  tor  this  ishiiid.  l>iU  ('oliiiii- 
bus  calh'd  it  Sum  Sidvadni-  (  I  Inly  Savioiii'). 

Cohiiidiiis  sii|i[M)St'(|   that    he   was  near  Cipiuigo;  hut 
thcsf  iiJikcd  sava^f«'S,  i»r(>\idt'd  witii   110  hottrr  wcaixtiis 


THK  LANDFALL  OF   COLUMBUS 


than  s[)cars  tipi)e(l  witli  fish-hoiics  and  no  more  valuahle 
arti(!li's  for  barter  than  parrots  and  sl%oins  of  cotton, 
surely  were  very  different  from  what  the  gor<,'eous 
descriptions  of  Marco  Poh)  had  \v,d  him  to  exi)ect. 
Ife  ccmchidod  that  tliis  was  probably  oidy  an  outlying 
island  peo[)led  by  rude  fishermen,  and  lie  kept  on  his 
way  to  the  southwest,  heading  for  an  island  called  by 


>r, 


%: 


VWl 


^^HHsiw_i.x.i.nBiiiiuiiiii™ni:Min 


M 


40 


The  World's  Discoverers 


tli(^  natives  Sauioctc,  wlii'io  lu;  uiKk'istoiKl  tliem  to  say 
there  was  })lenty  ol'  gold,  and  i)il(>t(Ml  hy  six  natives  of 
(Juaiiahaiii,  wlioin  he  took  as  guides.  On  tlie  way  lie 
})asse(l  in  sight  of  a  niunher  of  islands  and  touehed  at 
two  or  three.  When  Sanif)ete,  which  he  called  Isahella, 
was  reached,  he  found  it  to  be  the  most  heautifnl  land 
that  he  had  yet  seen,  and  a  delicious  scent  of  tlowei-s 
was  wafted  from  the  shore.  He  landed,  and  the  natives 
came  with  their  usual  balls  of  cotton.  Hut  gold  there 
was  none.  He  heard,  however,  of  eon?:t;ies  called  Cuba 
and  Hohio,  and  there  he  hoped  to  find  it  in  abundance. 

Sailing  southwest,  he  entered  the  mouth  of  a  fine 
river  on  the  28th  of  October,  and  gazed  upon  a  land 
the  most  lovely  his  eyes  had  ever  rested  on.  It  was 
"the  I'earl  of  the  Antilles,"  Cuba.  He  called  it  Juana, 
in  honor  of  the  young  [)rince  of  S[)ain. 

For  days  he  followi'(l  the  const  westward,  sometimes 
landing  and  eagerly  looking  out  for  signs  ot  ap})roii;ii- 
ing  the  (irand  Khan's  dominions,  for  he  was  convinced 
that  he  was  not  very  far  from  the  cities  of  Zaiton  and 
Quinsay,  described  by  Marco  Polo.  Moreover,  Pinzon 
h  "ird  something  of  a  king  in  the  interior  named  Cann, 
and  hv.  jumped  at  the  conclusion  that  this  was  none  other 
than  the  (Jrand  Khan.  Therefore  Colum'jus  decided 
to  send  a  seaman  and  tiie  man  who  was  veised  in  East- 
ern languages  to  seek  a  city  which  he  supposed  to  exist 
inland.  The  envoys  returned  after  six  days  and  re- 
ported that  they  had  gone  al)out  thirt'-six  miles  and  had 
reached  .«,  place  where  there  were  about  a  thousand 
people.  1  liey  had  been  vi'ry  kindly  treated  »'vcrywhere, 
but  had  found  neither  any  gri'at  city  iior  a  gold  mine. 


v 


lU'C'd 

luul 
ii/.on 
'ium, 

)tlier 
citled 
Kiist- 

i>xist 

(1  ro- 
ll had 
usiind 

mine. 


First  Voyage  and  Discovery  of  America      41 

One  (Miridiis  lialiil  wlilch  tlicy  observed  aas  that  Ihe 
men  always  had  in  tlu'ir  months  u  roll  of  dried  leaves 
li;^hted,  the  smoke  of  which  they  drew  into  their  months. 
They  called  tiiese  leaves  ta])acos. 

I>y  this  tinu^  Colnmhus  had  iiad  eonsidera])le  ojipor- 
tnnity  of  oliservini^  the  coniitry  and  the  iieople.  The 
former  he  fonnd  to  Ik;  very  fertile,  ahonndinLif  in  frnits 
and  vegetables;  tie  latter  very  simple  and  friendly, 
ready  to  be  converted  to  Christianity,  bnt  wholly  lack- 
ing in  the  precious  metals  lie  was  eagerly  seeking. 
Their  wants  were  vi'i-y  few.  Nature  snp[)lied,  without 
labor,  the  n.ost  of  their  food;  clothing  they  did  not 
wear,  though  they  had  great  (piantities  of  cotton;  and 
they  slept  in  nets  suspended  from  the  trees  called 
hanunacas. 

Here  the  voyagers  picked  up  six  young  natives  and 
kept  them  on  board  as  ca[)tives,  with  the  object  of  tak- 
ing them  home,  teaching  them  the  S[ianish  language, 
and  instructing  them  in  the  Christian  faith.  l)Ut  the 
savages  clearly  di<l  not  appreciate  their  [jrivileges.  .\t 
the  earliest  opportunity  two  of  them  succeeded  in  mak- 
ing their  escape. 

The  licet  was  now  sailing  i-astward,  in  search  of  a 
certain  island  called  Habecpie,  where  it  was  understood 
that  there  was  so  nuich  gold  that  the  peo[ile  gathered  it 
on  the  beach  by  torchlight  and  hannnered  it  into  bars. 
Martin  Pinzon,  taking  advantage  of  the  fact  that  the 
"I'inta"    was    the    fastest   sailer,   [)arted  company  and 


(lisaiiDcared,  evn 


'I'l 


dently 


ea<^er  to  i'(  .k 


h   th 


d-1 


le  <'(>i(i-i>earin<' 


island  first.     Cohnnbns,   kee[)ing  his  eastward  course, 
soon  came  to  I'oiut  Maysi,  t'.ic  extremity  of  Cuba,     lie 


ill 


L'f 


i!« 


Al 


42 


The  World's  Discoverers 


had  not  found  Baboquo  and  its  alleged  gold.  But 
stretching  across  the  channel,  ho  made  another  niaguifi- 
v'eiit  lind,  —  that  of  the  splendid  island  of  Haiti,  which 
he  callc'd  Ilispaniola,  or  Ivittle  Spain. 

When  some  of  the  voyagers  landed,  the  natives  fled 
and  hid  themselves.  But  the  sailors  ran  down  a  native 
girl,  ca.ight  lier,  and  brought  her  on  board.  The 
Admiral  treated  her  with  great  kindness  and  put  clothes 
on  her.  She  undoubtedly  was  the  first  woman  dressed 
in  "  tailor-made  "  garments  ever  seen  in  Haiti.  She  was 
sent  ashore  loaded  with  presents.  In  consequence  of 
her  j)leasant  experience,  her  countrymen  took  courage 
and  soon  surrounded  the  ship  with  their  canoes.  Colum- 
bus was  deligbted  with  the  sim[)le,  friendly  people  and 
(lie  beautilul  country.  Never,  he  wrote,  in  twenty- 
t.liree  years  that  lie  had  sailed  the  sea,  from  England  in 
tl\e  nortb  —  this  jiassage  certaiidy  does  not  encourage 
the  notion  that  he  once  visited  Iceland  —  to  Guinea  in 
the  south,  had  he  found  so  beautiful  a  country  and  so 
line  harbors. 

A  king  who  came  to  tlie  shore  to  visit  Columbus, 
borne  in  a  litter  by  foui-  of  his  subjects,  greatly 
impi'cssed  the  Admiral  with  his  dignity.  He  found 
liiin  at  his  dinner  and  would  not  let  him  leave  it, 
but  sat  bv,  tasting  the  dishes  offered  to  him  and  then 
p;issing  them  on  to  his  attendants,  who  quickly  de- 
voured them. 

The  natives  had  now  quite  overcome  their  fear,  and 
a  great  fleet  of  canoes,  loaded  with  cassava  bread,  fish, 
and  fresh  water  in  earthen  jars,  surrounded  the  ships, 
while    the    wateis    fairly   swarmed    with    hundreds   of 


m 


I 


First  Voyage  and  Discovery  of  America      43 

swiinuKU's,  though  the  vessels  hiy  at  some  distance  from 
tlie  shore. 

A  Uime  canoe  came  ahiiifjsulc  with  an  invitation  from 
a  neighboring  cacicjue,  Guacanagari,  to  visit  his  coun- 
tiy.  By  the  time  that  Columbus  reached  it,  it  was 
("liristmas-eve.  Tin;  sea  was  as  calm  as  a  null-pond, 
and  the  Admiral,  who  was  worn  out  with  watching,  had 
lain  down  to  sleep.  Immediately  the  helmsman,  con- 
trary to  orders,  put  a  boy  in  his  })lace  and  went  to  sleep 
himself.  Presently  the  ship  went  aground  on  a  sand- 
bank very  softly,  so  that  tiiere  was  not  any  shock.  The 
l)()y  first  became  aware  of  it  by  hearing  the  water  rush- 
ing -dong  the  ship's  side  and  finding  the  rudder  innnov- 
able.  He  cried  out,  and  in  an  instant  Cohnubus  came 
rushing  on  deck.  He  ordered  the  master  and  some  of 
the  men  to  get  into  a  boat  and  take  an  anchor  some 
distance  astern,  in  order  to  warp  the  ship  off.  Instead 
of  doing  this,  the  rascally  master,  who  should  have  been 
on  deck  at  the  time  of  the  disaster,  rowed  away  to  the 
"Nina,"  which  was  at  some  distance.  Her  crew  would 
not  let  the  cowards  come  on  board,  and  they  returned 
to  their  own  shi[).  liut  it  was  now  too  late  to  do  any 
good.  The  current  was  steadily  setting  her  further  on 
the  bank,  her  seams  were  opening,  and  she  was  keeling 
over  and  becominn'  imbedded  in  the  sand.  Evervthiiujf 
possible  was  done.  The  masts  were  cut  away  and  the 
slii[)  lightened,  but  all  in  vain.     She  was  a  wicck. 

It  was  a  terrible  disaster.  The  "Santa  Maria"  lost 
and  the  "I'inta"  stolen  away,  Columbus  found  himself 
thousands  of  miles  away  from  home,  with  oidy  the  little 
"Nina,"  and   a    far   greater   nundjcr  of  men  than  she 


hi; 


'■fT-"f 


! 


44 


The  World's  Discoverers 


cDiild  jxtssihly  cany.  TIutc  was  iiolliing  to  be  done 
l)iit  to  leave  some  ol"  tlieiii.  Tlu'relore  lie  deteniiined 
to  hiiild  a  I'ort  and  garrison  it  with  all  the  men  whom 
the  "Nina"  could  not  accommodate. 

In  the  mean  time  two  ollicers  had  been  sent  to  the 
cacicjue,  (Juacanagari,  to  ask  his  hel[).  lie  i)rom[)tly 
res[)onded  and  showed  himself  a  j^enerous  and  true 
friend  of  the  Spaniards,  as  he  always  remained  through 
the  terrible  trials  of  future  years,  lie  not  only  sent  a 
nund»er  of  his  i)eople  with  canoes  to  help  in  saving  the 
shi[)'s  cargo,  but  he  came  himself  to  suiierintend  the 
work,  and  as  the  goods  were  collected  on  the  ])each,  set 
some  of  his  men  to  watch  over  them,  so  that  not  a 
single  thing  was  missing. 

('olund)us  was  greatly  touched  by  the  sympathy  of 
this  generous  savage.  He  wrote  to  the  King  and 
(^ucen  of  Si)ain:  "He  and  all  his  people  wept  for  us. 
They  are  a  loving  race,  free  from  covetousncss,  and  I  do 
not  i)elieve  there  is  a  better  peo[)le  or  a  better  land  in 
all  the  world.  They  love  their  neighbors  as  them- 
selves, and  tlu'ir  conversation  is  gentle  and  kind  and 
always  cheerful."  It  saddens  one's  heart  to  contrast 
this  ex[)eriencc  of  their  kindness  with  the  pitiless 
cruelty  by  whicli  the  Spaniards  exterminated  this 
harmless  and  friendly  race. 

(Juacanagari  entertained  the  Admiral  in  his  village, 
setting  before  him  a  feast  of  game,  fish,  cassava  bread, 
and  fruit.  lie  also  sent  abundant  supplies  to  the 
"Nina,"  and  declared  that  the  Spaniards  should  not 
want  for  anything.  Now  something  occurred  which 
madt!  Columbiis  think  that  it  was  a  lucky  chance  to  have 


First  Voyage  and  Discovery  of  America      45 

been  shipwrecked  there.  Some  Indians  from  11  distiuiee 
l)rought  leaves  of  gokl  which  they  exchanged  for  trilles. 
At  the  sight  of  the  metal  Colundms  showed  so  nnuli 
delight  that  the  chief  noticed  it  and  at  once  told  him 
of  a  place  called  Cihao,  where  there  was  an  ahnndance 
of  it.  At  the  najne,  Colianhus\s  eyes  lighted  up. 
Surely  this  was  the  Ci[)ango  he  had  crossed  the  (jceau  to 
lind.  The  chief  promised  to  have  a  (piantity  of  gold 
brought  from  Cibao  as  soon  as  possihU',  and  in  the 
mean  time  he  hung  some  gold  ornaments  around  the 
Admiral's  neck,  while  the  latter  gave  liim  in  return 
necklaces  of  beads,  a  thie  mantle,  and  other  articles. 

While  the  fort  was  being  built  out  of  the  tind)ers  of 
the  "Santa  Maria,"  Columbus  dwelt  in  the  largest  house 
of  the  village,  and  he  and  his  men  had  an  abundance  of 
native  food.  He  learned  that  the  only  drawback  to  the 
happiness  of  his  hosts  were  the  attacks  of  a  cruel  race 
of  savages  called  ('aribs.  lie  j)romised  that  on  his 
return  from  Spain  he  would  subdue  and  punish  these 
invaders.  In  order  to  show  his  power  to  do  this,  he 
made  his  best  bowman  exhibit  his  skill.  Then  an 
arquebus  was  discharged,  and  a  lond)ard  lired  a  shot 
(lean  through  the  hull  of  the  wreck.  The  loud  report 
so  frightened  the  savages  that  they,  king  and  all,  fell 
on  the  ground.  Hut  their  dread  changed  into  delight 
when  they  learned  that  these  unearthly  terrors  would  be 
used  only  against  their  enemies. 

The  fort  Columbus  called  Navidad  (Nativity),  because 
the  shi[)wreck  had  occurred  on  Christmas-day.  In  it 
lie  left  forty-four  men,  with  all  the  arms,  cannon,  tools, 
and  seeds,  t*  gether  with  all  the  goods  intended  for  bar- 


w< 


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;i. 


il 


i. 


t 


MM 


46 


I'lic  World's  Discoverers 


ter  and  ilio  sliip's  })()iit.  He  expected,  at  liis  return 
from  Spain  in  the  next  year,  to  find  a  ton  of  gold 
awaiting  liini. 

On  tiie  4th  of  January,  1498,  the  "Nina  "sailed  on 
her  return  voyage.  While  she  was  working  her  way 
slowly  alf)ng  the  northern  coast  of  Ilispaniola  against  a 
head  wind,  the  lookout  descried  the  "Pinta"  coming 
under  full  sail.  Pinzon  made  certain  lame  excuses  for 
liis  virtual  desertion  of  his  commander.  Put  the  simple 
fact  was  that  he  had  yielded  to  the  temptation  of  greed 
and  had  gone  off  on  a  cruise  of  his  own.  He  had  failed 
to  get  any  gold,  hut  had  captured  some  natives,  whom 
he  pro[)osed  to  sell  as  slaves  in  Spain.  But,  on  reaching 
the  river  where  they  had  been  taken,  Colund)US  com- 
pelled him  to  release  and  send  them  ashore  clothed. 

Hereabouts  some  mermaids  were  seen.  Columbus 
was  disappointed  in  them  and  frankly  described  them  as 
not  so  beautifid  as  tliey  liad  been  represented.  Prob- 
ably what  he  saw  were  sea-calves,  which  are  said  to  have 
very  human-like  movements.  While  some  of  the  men 
were  asiiore  tilling  the  water-casks,  they  encountered 
some  Indians,  not  such  peaceful  ones  as  those  whom 
they  had  hitherto  met,  but  fierce  warriors,  painted  like 
those  of  North  Anierica.  Columbus  concluded  that 
these  must  be  Caribs.  One  of  them  ciime  aboard  the 
"Nina"  and  told  Columbus  some  monstrous  yarns 
about  a  country  to  the  east  where  gold  could  be  found 
in  huge  chunks,  and  about  an  island  inhabited  oidy  by 
women.  At  the  least,  so  Columbus  luiderstood  liim, 
but  it  is  quite  likely  that  the  explorer  got  a  false  notion 
because  he  was  looking  for  sucli  an  island,  for  Marco 


I 


First  Voyage  and  Discovery  ot  America      47 

Polo  mentions  one  peopled  only  by  women.  Some  of 
the  Indians  who  came  aboard  told  Columbus  some  famous 
yarns  about  an  island  to  the  eastward.  It  proved  to 
be  costly  fun  for  them,  however,  for  he  insisted  on 
taking  them  with  him  as  guides.  Not  finding  the 
island,  and  the  wind  being  favorable,  the  caravels  bore 
away  for  home,  carrying  the  poor  savages  with  them. 

As  the  fleet  on  the  way  out  liad  experianeed  a  con- 
stant easterly  wind,  so  now  Cohimbus,  by  going  north 
in  order  to  escape  it,  fell  into  the  belt  of  a  prevailing 
westerly  wind.  This  course  is  now  the  habitual  route 
of  vessels  sailing  to  Europe.  Nevertheless  it  was  a  hard 
passage.  The  caravels  were  leaky,  and  piovisions  were 
running  low.  Little  was  left  of  the  original  ship-stores 
but  some  biscuit  and  wine,  and  the  saihjrs  were  glad  to 
eke  out  their  scanty  rations  with  some  tunny-iish  and 
even  a  huge  shark. 

They  made  so  rapid  progress  that  in  less  than  a  month 
from  the  time  of  leaving  the  eastern  end  of  Ilispaniola 
they  were  in  the  region  of  the  Azores.  They  were  yet 
to  encounter,  however,  the  greatest  peril  of  the  whole 
voyage.  On  the  12th  of  Fel)ruary  they  ran  into  a 
furious  gale.  The  next  day  the  storm  increased,  and 
that  night  the  two  little  caravels  scudded  along  under 
bare  poles.  The  condition  of  the  crews  and  of  tiu* 
unfortunate  Indians  crowded  into  the  little  cabins  at 
bow  and  stern,  while  the  open  waists  were  constantl}- 
drenched,  was  terrible.  The  caravels  rolled  frightful!}-, 
now  lifted  high  on  the  crest  of  a  huge  billow,  then 
plunging  into  an  awful  abyss,  while  other  seas,  mast- 
high,  came  racing  on,  as  if  to  overwhelm  them.     The 


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48 


I'he  World's  Discoverers 


sli^''ht('st  iiiiittcntion  to  tlio  holm  wouM  liavo  nio.int 
iiistiuit  (IcHth  to  nil  on  hoard.  The  next  day  the  gale 
ahated,  antl  tlu;  vessels  [)ut  ont  a  rag  of  canvas.  IJut 
before  night  the  wind  came  aronnd  to  the  south  and 
blew  a  hurricane.  All  night  they  were  driven  before  it, 
without  an  inch  of  sail,  keeping  each  other's  lights, 
however,  in  vi(^w.  Then  those  of  the  "Pinta "  disap- 
}»i'are(l  and  were  seen  no  more.  Morning  broke  over  a 
furious  wintry  si'a,  but  there  was  no  sign  of  the 
"I'inta."  The  men  of  the  "Nina"  believed  that  she 
had  gone  down  and  that  they  would  soon  follow  her. 

So  thought  Columbus,  too.  To  steady  the  vessel,  he 
caused  the  em[)ty  casks  to  be  fdled  with  sea-water,  for 
one  of  the  troubles  was  that  she  was  too  light,  the 
stores  having  been  (Mtnsumed.  Still,  try  as  he  might  to 
persuade!  himself  that  (lod  would  not  let  the  ocean 
■swallow  up  him  and  his  men,  and  the  knowledge  of  his 
great  discovery  [jcrish,  his  heart  saidv  within  him,  es- 
pecially at  the  thought  of  his  two  boys  who  would  be 
left  fatherless.  Then  he  and  the  crew  united  in  making 
certain  vows,  which  were  to  be  performed  if  God  would 
only  bring  them  safe  to  land.  One  was  that  they  would 
all,  oflicers  and  men,  go  barefoot  and  in  their  shirts  only 
and  return  thanks  in  the  nearest  church  dedicated  to  the 
X'irgin  Mary.  Then  it  occurred  to  Columbus  that  it 
might  be  [)ossible  to  preserve  the  knowledge  of  his 
great  discovery,  even  though  he  and  his  men  might 
perish.  Amid  the  fury  of  the  storm,  he  sat  down  and 
wrote  an  account  of  liis  voyage,  of  the  time  it  had 
occui)ieil,  the  lands  and  [)eoples  he  had  seen,  and  the 
present  extremity  in  which  he  was.     This  he  addressed 


First  Voyage  and  Discovery  of  America      49 

to  the  King  iiiul  Qiu?en  of  Spain  and  sealed.  Then  he 
\vrai)ped  it  in  a  waxed  cloth  and  put  it  in  an  cnii)ty 
hiinel,  whieh  he  threw  overboard.  He  did  not  tell  the 
men  what  lie  was  doing,  for  fear  of  discouraging  them, 
and  they  fancied  that  ho  was  engaged  in  some  religious 
ceremony. 

The  next  day  the  gale  abated,  and  land  was  sighted. 
Shortly  afterwards  the  "Nina"  came  to  anchor  under 
shelter  of  St.  Mary's,  the  southernmost  of  the  Azores. 
Tiie  islanders  could  hardly  believe  that  the  frail  little 
ciiravel  had  come  through  the  frightful  storm.  The 
Portuguese  governor  of  the  island  sent  off  to  the 
Admiral  some  fresh  provisions,  which  must  have  been 
singularly  welcome.  Hut,  apparently,  this  courtesy 
was  only  a  blind;  for  when  Cohunbus  sent  ashore  half 
of  his  crew  to  perform  their  vow  of  going  in  their  shirts 
to  a  shrine  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  intending,  after  their 
ri'turn,  to  go  himself  with  the  other  half,  the  governor 
surrounded  the  party  with  horse  and  foot-soldiers  and 
ni.ide  them  all  prisoners  in  their  scant  attire. 

Cohuubus  witnessed  the  occurrence  and  soon  saw 
his  own  boat  coming  out,  full  of  armed  men.  The 
s^'overnor  was  on  board.  There  was  a  parley  in  which 
ciioh  stood  on  his  dignity.  Cohuubus  informed  the  other 
that  he  was  an  ollicerof  the  Spanish  crown,  and  warned 
him  of  the  danger  of  [jrovoking  the  anger  of  his  masters. 
Casteneda  virtually  replied  that  he  did  not  care  a  fig  for 
them,  that  he  was  there  as  the  servant  of  the  King  of 
Portugal.  He  seems  to  have  thought  that  since  the 
Portuguese  had  been  the  sole  discoverers  in  the  world 
up  to  that  time,  anybody  who  had  found  new  land  nnist 


'1  ' 


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50 


The  World's  Discoverers 


liavo  efioroiiclKMl  ui»()n  liis  master's  rights.  Aiiotlier  diiy 
l)jiss(!(l,  and  still  Cohimluis's  men  were  held  as  pr'^oners 
oil  shon;.  Then  his  firm  attitude  produced  its  natural 
elTeet.  A  notary  came  from  the  shore  and  very  politely 
asked  to  scu  Colunihus's  eommission.  The  Admiral 
replied  with  e(|ual  courtesy  and  showed  the  document 
bearing  tiie  signature  of  Ferdinand  and  Isahella.  There- 
upon his  men  were  released,  and  he  made  sail  for  home. 

The  trials  of  tiie  voyage  were,  liowever,  not  yet  ended. 
Another  terrific  gale  came  on  from  the  west,  and  the 
little  "Nina"  was  driven  on  lier  way  with  frightful 
speed.  The  Spaniards  furled  their  sails  and  made  more 
vows.  While  they  were  driving  along  under  bare 
poles  night  came  on,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  niglit 
came  the  terrible  cry,  "  Land!  "  They  were  in  imminent 
danger  of  being  hurled  on  the  rocky  (  st  and  dashed 
to  i)ieces.  They  were  able,  however,  to  get  out  a  little 
scrap  of  sail  and  thus  to  keej)  off  the  slK)re  till  morn- 
ing. Then  Columbus  saw  that  lie  was  off  the  famous 
promontory  of  ('intra,  near  Lisbon.  He  had  no  choice 
but  to  take  refuge  in  the  harbor  and  brave  the  jealous 
Portuguese  in  their  very  capital. 

When  he  had  entered  the  Tagus,  while  crowds  flocked 
to  gaze  at  the  little  caravel  that  had  come  through  a 
storm  that  had  strewn  the  coast  with  wrecks,  and  heard 
with  amazement  the  story  of  her  marvelous  voyage  in 
the  waters  of  "the  Indies,"  the  captain  of  a  Portuguese 
man-of-war  summoned  Columbus  to  come  aboard  and 
give  an  account  of  himself.  Hut  when  the  latter  stood 
on  his  dignity  as  a  Castilian  admiral,  he  changed  his 
tone  and  came  10  visit  him  in  great  state  with  martial 


First  \\)yage  and  DiNCovcry  of  America      5  i 


music.  TIr'  next  two  days  tlio  wjitcr  swannetl  with 
Ifoat-loads  of  peoplf,  who  came  out  to  ga/.o  at  the  won- 
derful littU?  craft  and  the  captive  Indians. 

At  liis  fii-st  entrance  into  the  harbor,  Colunihus  had 
sent  otT  a  Icttia-  to  liis  sovereigns  re[iorting  liis  arrival, 
and  anotlier  to  tiie  Ivingol'  Portugal,  stating  liis  cii'cuui- 
stanees  and  asking  the  hosjiitality  of  anchorage  at  Ijs- 
l),)n.  Now  came  an  invitation  to  visit  the  I'ortugiu'se 
monarch  at  his  retreat,  about  twenty-seven  miles  from 
A    royal    olhcer  was   sent  to  escoi't  him  and 


Lisl)on. 

provide  for  his  entertainment  <m  the  way.  The  Admiral 
met  with  a  stately  greeting  from  King  John,  and  it 
must  have  dee[)ly  gratilied  his  [nide  to  be  givcsn  such  :i 
reception  by  the  same  monarch  who,  a  few  yeai>«  before, 
had  spurned  his  ofTer.  John  had  an  idea,  howev  r, 
that  C'obunbus  might  have  tres[)assed  on  his  preroga- 
tives, lint  the  Admiral  assured  him  that  he  had  not 
touched  the  African  coast,  but  had  reached  the  Indies 
by  sailing  west. 

On  the  I'ith  of  March  Cohunbus  sailed  for  Si)ain, 
and  two  days  later  cast  anchor  in  the  port  of  I'alos. 
Imagine,  if  you  can,  the  joy  of  the  people  there  when 
they  recognized  the  little  "  Nina."  It  was  a  day  of  sur- 
[U'ises,  for  a  few  i.ours  after  her  afjpearance  the  "  I'inta" 
came  sailing  in.  An  entire  month  had  elapsed  since 
her  disappearance,  and  the  "Nina's"  [)eople  did  not 
(loul)t  that  she  had  gone  down  in  the  storm,  while  hers 
ecjually  believed  that  the  "Nina"  was  lost.  She  bad 
made  a  port  in  the  far  north  of  Spain,  and  Pinzon,  who 
no  doubt  believed  himself  to  be  the  onl}'  surviving 
(ommaii(K'r  of  the  expedition,  had  despatched  a  letter  to 


I'^i 


;t  ■.: 

■« 


\ 


52 


The  World's  Discoverers 


tln'ir  IMiijcslics,  iiskiii}^  Icjivc  to  coino  to  court  and  givo 
iiii  iU'coiuit  of  tlic  iivw  (liscovcricH.  I'lioy  luid  returned 
an  answer  rebnkini^  his  presumption.  Now  he  eanie 
into  port  at  l*ah>s,  ill  and  heart-siek,  and  found  Colum- 
bus tiiere.  Tlu;  end  of  his  life-voya<,'e  was  near.  A  few 
days  later  he  died  in  his  own  house. 

Thus  ende<l  the  most  remaikahle  expedition  that  ever 
sail 'd  the  seas.  'I'here  was  not  at  the  time  the  remot- 
est idea  of  the  j^ncatness  of  its  aehievement.  When  it 
came  to  he  known  throughout  Europe,  it  did  not  awaken 
any  such  A'idespread  enthusiasm  as  we  should  ex[)eet, 
except  aiiiong  tlu;  learned  class.  It  is  true  that 
Sehastian  Cahot,  who  lu^ard  of  it  in  Kngland,  wrote  that 
it  was  accoK'iU^<l  in  London  "a  thing  more  divine  than 
human."  \\\\t  nobody  dreamed  that  Columbus  luid 
done  more  tiian  Vasco  da  (rama  actually  did  four  years 
later,  in  oj;;  nlng  a  water-route  to  India.  We  still  have 
a  survival  of  that  error  in  the  name  West  Indies. 

The  voyag»'  has  left  some  other  traces  in  our  lan- 
guage, in  the  form  of  new  wtjrds,  such  as  tobacco,  hur- 
ricane, alligator  (Spanish,  r/  htijarto^  the  lizard), 
hanunoek,  canoe,  (from  the  native  name  for  a  dug-out), 
and  cannibal.  The  latter  seems  to  have  been  formed 
from  the  nami;  of  the  fierce  Caribs.  The  Spanish 
writers  fust  called  them  Caribales,  and  then,  to  empha- 
size their  ferocity,  Canibales  (Latin,  canis^  a  dog),  with 
the  addition  that  some  of  them  had  dog-faces.  Hut  it 
has  been  nuich  (piestioned  whether  these  people  really 
ate  lunnau  llesh.  The  Spaniards  were  very  apt  to 
attribute  every  crime  to  any  people  who  resisted  them, 
as  a  pretext  for   cruelty.     A    Spanish   poet   has   even 


i 


First  Voyage  and  Discovery  of  America      53 

writtni,  "Tlicv  wnc  calhMl  caiinilKils,  not  bcciiusr  tlicN 
wi'ic  man  ('liters,  Imt  lu'caiisr  llu  y  hravi-ly  ilcl't  iidt'd 
tlu'ir  lionit'S."  It  lias  Iktii  sui'inisfd  that  tlu;  part.s  of 
liunian  Iiodics  wliicli  tlir  explorers  found  sonietinics  in 
the  houses  of  natives,  were  portions  of  deceased  relatives 
which  were  preserved  out  of  resjiect.  I5ut  the  concpier- 
ors  saw  wonders  and  horrors  everywhere,  and  the  thrid- 
ing  interest  of  theii  narratives  was  greatly  enhaneed  hy 
the  story  of  man-eating  savages.  Thus  it  heeame  a 
part  of  the  stock  tradition. 

The  Si)anisli  sovereigns  were  at  Harceh)na.  There 
came  a  gracious  summons  from  tliem  for  ('olumbus  to 
visit  the  court.  Accordingly  he  .set  out  by  land, 
aeeomi»anie<l  l>y  liis  Indians  and  by  porters  carrying  the 
birds  and  animals  and  other  curiosities  which  he  had 
brought  home.  The  fame  of  his  achievement  had  pre- 
ceded him,  and  bis  journey  through  the  country  was 
an  ovation.  Crowds  flocked  to  the  road-side  to  see  the 
strange  procession  pass;  and  every  town  heaped  honors 
on  the  discoverer.  It  was  a  month  from  the  tinie  of  his 
arrival  in  Palos  before  lie  reached  liarcelona.  Then  he 
a[»proached  his  sovereigns  in  splendid  state.  First 
walked  the  Indians,  bedecked  with  barbaric  gold.  Next 
came  the  porters,  carrying  forty  parrots  and  other  birds 
of  strange  and  brilliant  i)lumage,  with  skins  of  various 
animals,  and  plants  of  supposed  rare  eflicacy.  Then 
rode  a  brilliant  cavidcade  of  Spanish  nobh's,  and  in 
their  midst  tbe  Admiral. 

The  greeting  of  royalty  was  all  that  heart  could 
desire.  Wiien  Cohunbus  ai^proached  the  gilded  canopy 
beneath  which  the  sovereigns  sat,  both  rose  and  received 


:    I 

'I; 


54 


The  World's  Discoverers 


)  i. 


jiiin  stjiiidiMg,  iis  if  he  luid  l)oen  u  royjil  persoiiiigo,  liftiMl 
iiiiii  .IS  he  st()()|)(>(|  to  kiss  their  liuiids,  and  iiKidc  Iiiin  sit 
beside  tlu'Mi.  When  lie  liad  eoiu'luded,  illustnilins.j  liis 
reeital  hy  poiiiliiij^  to  tlic^  ea[)tives  and  the  trophies  of 
his  voyaj^'e,  all  joined  in  ehanting  tlie  Te  Denni  in  the 
iiiyal  ('hai)el. 

Ilonois  \ver(!  now  liea[»ed  on  Colu!id)ns.  lie  was 
planted  a  coat  of  arms,  which  made  him  "noble."  The 
Kiiin'  drove  ont,  with  his  son  seated  on  one  side  of  h'ltn 
and  the  A(hiiiral  on  the  other.  lie  was  given  an  income 
ont  of  the  loyul  treasnry  and  a  snite  of  attendants, 
(ireat  nohh's  vied  with  each  other  in  paying  court  to 
liini.  Some  who  had  des[)itefnlly  used  him  in  tlie  days 
of  his  ohscuiity  came  cringing  and  asking  his  pardon. 
For  tliis  short  i)eriod  only  in  his  whole  life  he  seems  to 
have  enjoyed  unalloyed  ha[)i)iness,  free  from  anxiety. 

Tlu!  pension  proiniseil  to  the  lirst  iuan  who  should  see 
land  was  granted  to  Cohnnhus.  He  has  been  very 
justly  criticised  for  taking  this  pension  away  from  a 
poor  sailor,  'i'iiere  never  had  been  any  question  as  to 
the  hater's  having  lirst  ainiounced  land  from  the  mast- 
hea(^  of  the  '*  I'inta,"  whereas  the  light  v;hi(di  Colnmbus 
(daii'U'd  to  have  seen  some  hours  earlier  was,  at  the  best, 
a  somewhat  uncertain  thing,  and  may  have  been  carried 
by  a  lisherman  in  a  canoe.  .\t  all  events,  the  taking  of 
the  pension  by  the  great  admiral  under  the  circum- 
stances was  .III  instaiicc^  of  the  greed  which  was  one  of 
l.'is  eons|iicuous  faults. 

Scarcely  had  the  tidings  of  the  discovery  rePA'lied 
Fe  "dinand  and  Isabella  than  they  began  to  plan  for 
following  it  u[>  vigorously.     CoUunbus  was  ordered  to 


! 


wm 


First  Voyage  and  Discovery  of  America      55 

iiijilvc  prcpiiriitions  for  tiiking  out  ii  soroiid  cxitcdition 
(111  ii  far  lai^i^cr  scale.  In  the  nu'aii  tiiuc,  as  there  was 
g.)()(l  reason  to  fear  tliat  the  KiiiL,'  <»f  l*oitu<,Ml  mijj'ht 
atti'inpt  to  fiiul  ;um1  aj>i»ro[)riate  huuls  in  the  new  re- 
irion,    Ferdinand  and   Isiihelhi  sent  ti  dutiful    letter  to 


11k 


I 


V 


OIX 


infoi'niin^j  him  o 


f  th 


i,'r 


at  d 


iscovei 


y- 


and 


pi-aviiij^  iiiin  to  eoniirni  them  forever  in  exclusive 
p  (ssession  of  the  countries  and  islands  which  Colunihus 
had  discovered.  Then  Alexander  the  Si'  il\  in  onh'r 
to  prevent  any  collision  between  these  two  great  Cath- 
olic powers,  issued  his  famous  hull  (so  called  from  the 
leadt'ii  hall,  Latin,  Imilit^  attached  to  the  decrees  of  the 
[topes),  hy  which  lu'  divided  the  non-Christian  lands  of 
the  glolnj  between  tlu'ui,  assignin^^  to  Portugal  all  tliat 
lay  east  of  an  imaginary  line  running  north  and  south 
in  the  AtlaiUic,  to  Sitain  all  that  lay  west.  This  divi- 
sion was  int«;nded  to  give'  to  Spain  all  of  the  New  World, 
hut,  as  subscfjuently  appeared,  Portugal  ac()uii'ed  a  largo 
slice  of  South  America.  Thus  she  ac(iuired  her  title 
to  Brazil. 


I:  i 


I 


M 


mi 


n 


I 


56 


'I'he  World's  Discoverers 


CHAPTEIl  V 

TIIK    SKCON'I)    VOVAGIC,    IN     WIIKH    111':    HXI'LOllKS    crilA 

Of  the  rcnmining  voyuf^cs  of  ('((linuhus  wo  ciui  ^ivo 
only  tho  merest  outliiK',  hut  it  is  honied  tliiit  the  reader 
will  not  be  satistied  with  anythiiit(  less  than  tin;  full 
story.  Kvery  American  ought  to  he  familiar  with  the 
incidents  of  the  great  discoverer's  romantic  career. 
They  an;  related  In  a  singularly  interesting  way  for 
young  readers  in  Mrs.  Seelye's  *' Story  of  Colund)Us." 

The  second  expe(lition  was  notabU^  for  the  size  and 
costliness  of  the  outlit.  Only  live  months  had  "lapsed 
Bin(U!  CoUunbus  cast  anchor  in  the  oort  of  Palos  when 
he  sailed  from  Cadi/,  with  no  less  than  seventeen  ves- 
sels, havinir  on  board  fifteen    hundred  souls,   nianv  of 


them  men  of  high  rank  who  were  anxious  to  try  their 


fortunes  in  tlie  wonderful  Indies. 


Iiere  were 


besid 


es. 


horses,  cattle,  seeds,  vines,  and  everything  necessary  to 
the  establishment  of  a  colony,  together  with  a  great 
su|)[)ly  of  trinkets  and  trilles  for  bartering  with  the 
natives. 

The  [)assage  was  a  quick  one.  Only  twenty  days 
out  from  the  Canaries  land  was  made,  further  south 
than  Columbus  had  gone  in  the  former  voyage.  It  was 
an  island  which  he  called  Dominica.  Almost  imme- 
diately he  found  himself  sailing  among  islands,  all 
delightfully  green  and  fragiant,  while  flocks  of  gorgeous 


Second  V Dyiit^t;  —  I^xploratiDii  of  Cuba       57 

[(iirrots  Ih'W  from  one  ti>  aimthcr.  IIi-  touched  at  (Uic 
Jiiid  railed  it  Murij,jahiiite,  at'lei'  his  shi|).  The  natives 
had  all  lied,  hut  their  houses  were  seen  to  ])e  like  tlufse 
with  which  C'oluinhus  was  already  laiuiliar.  Here  for 
the  first  time  white  men  tasted  ]iineap[ilcs,  and  they 
accounted  it  a  delicious  ex[ierienee. 

Hero  the  S[)aniards  ea[.'tarcd  some  Indians,  and  some 
women  fled  to  them.  They  had  heen  [)ris()ners,  kid- 
napiied  from  some  other  island,  and  the  fact  01  their 
j)utting  themselves  undei"  the  protection  of  the  Span- 
iards made  the  latter  think  that  thev  drea(h'd  heinu^  eaten 
hy  their  Indian  masters.  This  was  a  hasty  conclusion. 
Cannihals  rarcdy  eat  women.  I'licy  ari'  too  valuahle  as 
slaves  to  he  used  for  food. 

One  of  the  islands  which  C'ohunhus  visited  was 
(••'adalou[)e.  Here  an  ollicer  and  eiL,dit  men  had  a  terri- 
hle  experience.  Having  gone  ashore  without  leave, 
they  wt'ut  ramhliiiLj  and  became  losi  in  the  dense  troj)i- 
cal  junt^le.  A  search-jiarty,  after  traversiuL,^  miles  of 
forest,  hlowint^  trum[tets  and  liring  Cfuns,  I'eturned 
without  havinnr  found  a  trace  of  tliem.  hut  with  a  ^low- 
int;  account  of  the  ['•oiireons  birds  lhc\  had  seen  and  the: 
fi'aL,n'ant  woods  and  spices  they  had  smelt.      This  was  to 


b 


exiK'ctt'd  in   Asia,  from   which   JJii'o 


nad 


tunc 


iH'cn    sniii) 


ilied 


with     s|»ices 


aiK 


I    it 


lol'   ccll- 
eonlirmcd 


Coliunbus  in  his  mistal 


\t' 


I  ie   waited   four  da\s  more 


fttr  the  stragu'lers.  When  he  had  cnucluded  that  they 
had  been  eaten,  they  apjicared,  ne.uiy  di  ad  witli  fatii^nie 
and  huiii^^er.  After  they  liad  become  lost  in  the  dense 
forest,  one  man  climbed  a  tall  tree,  to  L;et  the  points  of 


tl 


le  compass  b\'  (tbsi 


'rviuLi'  the  stars,   but    the    mass    o 


fii! 


'''1 


i  ! 


il,;f. 


I  i 


*  » 


'% 


The  World's  Discoverers 


foliage  pivventcd  him  from  getting  a  siglit.  Columbus 
gave  them  an  opportunity  of  cooling  Lheir  thirst  for  ad- 
venture in  irons,  on  half-rations. 

Sailing  along,  Columbus  saw  and  named  many  ])eau- 
tiful  islands.  Hut  he  was  anxious  to  reach  the  littl(3 
colony  he  iiad  left  at  Ilispaniola  and  tried  to  catcli 
some  of  the  natives,  that  ho  might  get  information  from 
them  how  to  lind  it.  Uut  they  always  iled  at  the  sight 
of  the  white  men.  At  last  an  armed  boat  intercepted  a 
canoe,  by  ereej)ing  along  the  shore  of  a  river,  until  it 
had  cut  off  retreat,  'riu-n  it  dashed  out  towards  th|» 
canov  'I'he  Indians  strained  every  nerve  to  get  away, 
but  the  canoe  was  heavily  laden,  and  the  long,  strong 
pull  of  the  oars  gained  on  the  paddles.  When  they 
found  that  they  could  not  get  away,  the  savages,  women 
as  w(.'ll  as  nu'ii,  seized  their  bows  and  used  them  ^:o  well 
that  they  wounded  two  of  the  S[)aniards,  in  spite  of  their 
shields.  The  boat  I'aii  down  the  canoe  and  upset  it; 
bnt  its  oeeupants  continued  their  light  in  the  water, 
wadiu''  in  the  sh.illows  anci  shooting  arrows.  The 
assailants  had  nnich  ad(»  to  capture  some  of  them.  T/ne 
brave  fellow  would  not  yield  until  he  was  mortally 
Wounded.  One  of  the  injured  Spaniards  also  died. 
These  Itrave  defenders  of  lluur  liberty  belonged  to  the 
supjjoscd  cainiibal  race;  and  the  [)risonei's,  when  they 
were  sent  to  Spain,  were  gazed  at  with  horror  and 
aveision. 

After  passing  islands  studding  the  sea  so  tliickly  that 
Colundius  groU[)ed  them  all  t;!g'>ther  mider  the  com- 
j)rehensive  title,  the  I-'levcn  Thousand  Virgins,  lie  dis- 
covered the  magnilicent  island  of  Porto  Uico.     Shortly 


Second  Voyage  —  Exploration  of  Cuba      59 

iiftcrwards  lie  ioMiid  liimsclf  at  tlir  rastciii  cik]  of   Ilis- 
].iiiiiola.  ill  Saii'.aiia   \V,i\.      Now  tliiii;;s  looked    faiiiiliai'. 


m 


COLl'MIUH   AT   IIISI'AMOLA 

rAC-8IMII.E   III'    RNUItAVINa    IN    HKHKBHA,    WHO   FOLLOWS    tIK    BHY 

(From  Wins'jr'n  .\<in(ilive  niul  Crititdl  lliaturij  of  Ainfriini 

for  he  had  l)een  hero  in  the   foniuT  voyage.      Shditiv 
afterwuids  liu  reiiched  Nuvidad.     It  was  iiioht  whun  ho 


ip:' 


1 

I 

1 

1 

i  •  '1:1 


6o 


The  World's  Discoverers 


I  ^ , 


ii 


'"•"I 


t  tlii'iv,  and  lie  wiiih'cl  until  iiKtniinu:  to  liiiid.      In  tl 


10 


iiitMii  liiiKi  lie  liicd  two  guns,  to  notify  tlu' garrison  of 
liis  [)rt'S(Mi(:e.  I>ut  no  light  iii)[icarf(l  on  the  shore,  as 
he  cxpt'ctt'd.  Ahout  nii(hiight  a  canoe  canu'  stealthily 
out  to  the  lleet.  'I'he  occupants  asked  for  Colundtus 
and  hiduglit  him  a  gift  from  the  caciipie  (Juacanagari, 
togelJH'r  with  the  news  that  not  one  of  the  men  h'ft  at 
Navichid  was  alive.  Afti^r  some  had  died  (tf  si(d<n('ss, 
and  others  in  conseijuenco  of  quarrels  among  them- 
selves, a  iierce  chief  named  Caonah(»,  who  lived  in  the 
mountains,  had  swoo[)ed  (h)wn  ujion  the  renniant  and 
kill(>d  them  all.  At  th(^  same  time  the  liouses  of  the 
Indians    had    l)een    hurned    aiul    Guacanagari    himself 


woun( 


h-d. 


The  next  day  Colundms  landed.  Where  the  fort  had 
stood  wen;  only  charred  ruins.  After  a  time  he  was 
shown  the  s[)ot  where  eleven  Spaniards  lay  huried.  lie- 
tore  sailing  away,  he  had  instructed  the  garrison,  in  the 
event  of  Iteing  surprised,  to  hury  their  gold.  Therefore 
he  caused  careful  seai'ch  to  he  made  by  digghig  for  any 
that  might  have  lieeii  conc^t  ale(l.  None  was  found.  So 
his  fond  «lr»'aiu  of  a  ton  of  gold  vanished  into  thin  air. 

The  native  houses  also  had  l»cen  hurned,  and  the 
caci(iue  was  suffeiing  from  a  wound  received  in  the 
light  with  ( 'aonaho.  The  natives  complained  thai  IIk; 
white  men  had  treaLe<l  them  \ery  ill,  hy  rohhing  them 
of  their  wives.  This  gave  just  gro\nnl  for  suspecting 
that  the  Spanianls  had  incensed  the  frit'udly  Indians 
and  had  heen  surprised  and  massacr(Ml  hy  (hem.  'I'he 
caci([Ue*s  wound  s(>ctiied  also  very  tlouhtful.  Hut 
Columbus  was  fain  to  acci'pt  his  stor},  with  the  ajipeur- 


Second  Voyage  —  Exploration  of  Cuba      6 1 

ance  of  believin<j  it.     This  disiistcr  prcli^nircd  tlio  f;itc 
of  nijinv  aiiotli(ji'  voiitun!  of  tin;  same  kind  in  tli(>  New 


o 


World.  Lawk'ss  rulliaiis,  left  to  themselvos,  fell  inl 
(lel)aueheiy,  outnij^'ed  the  natives,  quarreled  among 
themselves,  and  linally  fell  under  the  first  stnmg  as- 
sault. In  spite  of  thi'  suspicious  eircumstanees,  it  after- 
wiii'ds  appeared  that  (iuacanagari's  story  was  true. 

The  calamity  at  Navidad  determined  ('olund)us  to 
seek  another  location  htr  his  colony.  He  cihose  one 
and  proceeded  to  lay  out  a  little  city  which  lie  called 
Isabella.      Socmi  tla;  [jlaee  was   full  of  the;  liusy  hum  of 


ini 


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a  rt'suieiice  tor 


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the  Admiral,  all  of  stone,  went  U[),  and  smaller  dwell- 
ings, like  those  of  the  Indians,  for  the  iH'o[)le  generally. 
It  was  not  long,  however,  before  malarial  fevers  and  the 
lU-etTeets  of  a  heavy  iMiropean  diet  began  to  sa|»  the 
health  and  spirits  of  tht^  colonists,  and  discontent 
showed  itself  in  the  form  of  a  plot  to  seize  the  ships  in 
the  harbor  and  sail  for  Spain.  Coliiiabus,  though  ill  of 
malarial  fever,  so  soon  as  he  got  wind  of  it,  took  vigor- 
ous stej)s  and  su[)presse(l  it. 

A  short  time  before,  he  liad  sent  back  twelve  ships  to 
S|)aiii  with  some  sj)ecimens  of  gold  secured  by  a  dare- 
devil captain  named  Ojeda  and  a  i)arty  who  had  peiie 
trated  the  mountain  region.  This  little  show  of  gold 
spi'cimens,  together  with  rose-colored  reports  of  trees 
whose  biil'l(  HMM'lletl  like  cinnamon,  and  of  others  which 
bore  somelhing  like  wool  (cotton),  was  a  sony  fieight 
for  twcKc  ships  to  take  home  to  pc(»|»le  who  expected 
to  see  them  return  laden  to  the  water-line  with  precious 
nielals,  pearls,  and  the  costly  spices  of  the  Indies. 


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62 


The  World's  Discoverers 


To  (((Tit  sninctliiii*:^  tJiiiglhle  and  iiiiniediately  aviiil- 
alfU',  Cohmilms  proitoscd  to  capture  as  many  as  [)ossil)le 
of  the  natives  of  the  Carihbee  Islands  and  send  them  to 
Spain  as  shives,  to  be  exehanyed  for  cattle,  which  the 
(;oh)nists  of  Ilispaniohi  greatly  needed.  This  would  Im) 
doing  a  great  service,  he  argued,  to  the  captives,  since 
they  would  become  Christians.  A  little  later  we  find 
him  carrying  this  idea  into  execution  by  sending  five 
Imndred  Indian  prisoners  to  S[)ain.  The  i)onr  creatures 
were  sold  at  Seville,  but  they  bore  their  new  kind  of  lifn 
vcfy  ill  and  soon  were  all  dead.  IMiis  is  one  of  the 
pcmts  for  which  Colinnbus  has  Itccii  most  severely  cen- 
sured. And  it  was  indeed  a  cruel  thing  to  sow  in  these 
beautiful  islands  the  seeds  of  a  ruthless  slavery  which 
was  destined  in  time  to  exterminate  the  aborigines. 
The  native  j)()i)ulation  has  long  since  become  extinct, 
an<l  is  known  to  people  of  our  day  oidy  through  the 
unreliable  reports  of  the  conquerors  and  through  a  few 
remains  which  learned  men  study  as  they  study  the 
reliis  of  the  mound-buildei's  in  North  America.  Un- 
doubtedly, Columbus  was  [)resscd  hard  by  the  necessity 
of  making  his  voyages  innnediately  i)r()fitable  to  those 
who  had  embarked  money  in  them.  I»ut,  after  all,  the 
fact  remains  that  lu;  was  far  from  being  a  man  of  ideal 
greatness.  He  fully  shared  the  views  of  his  day;  and 
nobody  saw  any  hiirm  in  capturing  and  enslaving 
heathens.  The  Portuguese  had  long  carried  on  a  profit- 
able slave-trade  along  the  African  coast.  Even  the 
gentle  Las  Casas,  who  afterwards  came  out  to  IIis[)an- 
iola  and  lived  there  several  yeiirs,  and  whose  heart 
bled  fur  the  poor  Indians  perishing  under  the  cruel  ex- 


Second  Voyage  —  Exploration  of  Cuba      63 

actions  of  llu;  foiunu'rois,  liad  nothing;  Itettcr  to  pro- 
pose tliiiii  tliiit  m'gi'ot's.  ii  liiinlicr  race,  should  hv 
brought  from  Africa  to  do  the  severe  tasks  whieh 
wore  killing  the  natives. 

(yolunibus  now  made  a  grand  march  into  the  eonntry, 
for  the  pur[iose  of  overawing  tiie  Indians.  I-'oiir  hun- 
dred armed  men,  a  large  nund)er  mounted,  with  hrilliaiit 
scai'fs,  witii  drums  heating  and  trumpets  sounding, 
greatly  impressed  the  simi)le  natives,  who  lied  terrilied 
from  their  cabins.  TIk!  sight  of  hoisemen  was  es[)ecially 
awe-inspiring,  'i'hey  mistook  horse  and  rider  for  one 
animal.  When  the;  men  dismounted,  they  fancied  that 
the  terrible  monster  could  unjoint  himstdf  and  walk 
about  in  seetions.  This  imposing  array  tiaversed  an 
exquisite  valley  and  reached  the  mountain  region  of 
Cibao.  Instead  of  liuding  great  stores  of  gold,  a  few 
grains  brought  in  by  Indians  who  had  washed  them 
from  the  sands  of  streams,  was  all  that  was  obtained. 
Cohimbus,  however,  resolved  to  build  a  fort  here. 
Leaving  a  garrison  to  hold  it,  under  the  conunand  of 
one  Margarite,  he  marched  back  to  Isabella. 

There  hj  found  the  seeds  he  had  plantetl  growing 
fuiely,  l)ut  the  same  warm,  moist  climate  that  favored 
their  early  ri[)ening  was  most  trying  to  I'jiropeiiiis. 
There  was  much  sickness,  and  many  had  died.  II'  the 
colony  had  not,  like  the  English  settlements  in  N'iiginia 
an<]  at  I'lymouth,  a  "starving  time,"  it  had  a  sickt'ning 
and  dying  time  that  tried  the  courage  of  the  bravest. 
There  was  so  much  work  to  be  done  and  so  few  hands 
to  do  it,  that  tlu;  Admiral  compelled  all  who  could,  of 
whatever  rank,   to  do  their  share.     This   angered    the 


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The  world's  I^iscoverers 


I)r(iii(l  liitliilcfos,  and  llioy,  iilonj^  with  a  Icadiiicj  monk, 
\vli(»  ('(iiitciKhMl  ill  vain  tiiat  [iriests  slioiild  be  exempt, 
I'liriiicd  a  liaity  ol"  iiialcoiitents  who  l)e('ame  a  th(jni  in 
tlie  si(U!  of  C'oliiml)ns. 

Notwitiistanding  tliesc  troubles,  ho  saih'd  very  soon 
on  a  voya^'e  of  (Useovcry  ahm^  the  sonlhern  shore  of 
Cnba,  which  he  liad  never  yet  seen.  He  was  fully 
persuaded  that  In-  would  lind  proof  that  it  was  tho 
mainland  of  Asia.  This  was  an  impression  of  whicli  ho 
was  never  nndeceived.  Ih;  did  not  reach  the  domin- 
ions of  tli(!  (ii'aiid  Khan,  bnt  lie  did  add  another  to  the 
list  of  his  brilliant  discoveries,  that  of  Jamaica.  Coast- 
ing,' aloiiLj  this  island,  he  fonnd  the  natives  remarkably 
friendly.  They  came  out  in  their  great  canoes  —  the 
Spaniards  observed  one  ninety-six  feet  long  —  and 
bronght  supplies  of  all  kinds.  At  one  time  a  llect  of 
seventy  canoes  accomjianied  the  S[)anisli  vessels. 

Leaving  the  western  I'lid  of  Jamaica,  he  strnck  across 
to  the  sonthern  shore  of  Cuba  and  followed  it  until  ho 
came  to  an  inlinity  of  islands.  Some  were  mere  sand- 
bars, others  beantifnlly  smooth  and  green,  otliers  still 
covered  with  majestic  trees.  This  archijielago  he  called 
the  Queen's  Garden.  Now  he  was  more;  than  ever  per- 
suaded that  he  was  near  the  dominions  of  the  Grand 
Khan,  for  Maifo  Polo  said  that  Further  India  was  bor- 
dered by  numberless  islands.  IJesides,  One  of  tho 
caciques  told  him  that  further  west  there  was  a  country 
called  Mangoii.  'I'liis  surely  nnist  be  Polo's  Mangi. 
lie  beli(!ved  that  if  he  could  sail  a  little  further,  he 
would  clear  up  all  doubts,  liut  provisions  were  run- 
ning short,  and  he  must  return. 


Second  Voyage  —  Exploration  of  Cuba      65 

Now  1h;  (lid  a  most  oxtraordiiiiirv  tliiris^,  for  wliii'li  liis 
grcjitt'st  adinirers  can  only  pload  tliat  his  l»raiii  was 
Hurt'crinj^  from  its  lout,'  strain  and  was  already  tonclicd 
with  a  fever  which  shortly  afterwards  j)i-ostrated  him 
for  several  months.  And,  trnly,  the  wild  fancies  he 
entertained  at  this  time  ^ive  color  to  this  notion.  He 
compelled  every  sonl  on  the  fleet,  down  to  the  shij»*s 
hoys,  to  take  an  oath  that  the  land  they  had  coiiste<l 
was  tlu!  continent  of  Asia.  Any  oiu;  who  deniecl 
it  was  to  snrt'er  the  penalty,  if  an  olVicei-,  of  a  line  of 
ten  thonsand  maravedis,  if  a  connnon  sailor,  of  ri'ceiv- 
ing  a  hnndred  lashes  and  having  his  tongne  cnt  ont. 
At  the  very  time  of  this  delirions  proceduiv,  had  \w 
sailed  hut  a  little  fnrther  westward,  he  wonld  have 
come  to  the  end  of  Cuba  and  might  have  returned  along 
its  northern  shore. 

The  voyage  hack  to  Ilispaniola  was  full  of  hardshij)S. 
The  vessels  had  to  heat  for  months  against  a  constant 
head  wind.  Before  Isahella  was  reached,  the  Admiral 
brOiv3  down  completely.  J-<ying  insunsihle,  often  delir- 
ious, he  was  thought  to  l»e  dying.  When  home  was 
reached  at  last,  some  of  his  men  carried  him  ashore  on 
their  shoulders.  After  a  long  illness,  when  he  regained 
consciousness,  he  experienced  one  of  the  haj)piest  mo- 
ments of  his  life  in  finding  at  his  bedside  his  dear  brother 
liartholomew,  whom  he  had  not  seen  since  he  left  him 
six  years  before,  to  solicit  aid  for  the  first  expedition. 

From  this  time  forth  Iiartholomew  cuts  a  great  lignie 
in  the  story.  lie  was  a  strong-minded,  fearless  man, 
not  so  imaginative  as  his  brother,  but  more  practical. 
He  was  given  the  lillr*  of  Adelantado,  or  Governor. 


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66 


The  World's  Discoverers 


During  tlie  Admiral's  absence  things  had  come  to  a 
frightful  pass  in  Ilispaniola.  Ojecia  had  relieved 
Margarite  in  command  of  the  fort  in  the  mountains,  in 
order  that  the  latter  might  lead  his  troops  on  an  ex- 
ploring expedition.  Instead  of  carrying  out  his  part  of 
the  programme,  Margarite  established  himself  with  his 
men  in  the  richest  part  of  the  island,  where  they  lived 
the  lives  of  brigands,  plundering  the  natives  and  indulg- 
ing themselves  in  ceaseless  riot.  Then  they  marched  to 
Isabella,  overpowered  all  opposition,  seized  the  caravels 
that  had  come  out  with  Bartholomew,  and  sailed  for 
Spain,  along  with  other  malcontents,  to  spread  cal- 
umnies against  the  Admiral. 

The  cruelty  of  these  ruffians  had  driven  the  inhabi- 
tants to  desperation,  and  the  whole  country  was  rising 
in  arms.  One  cacique  fell  upon  a  party  of  ten  soldiers 
near  Isabella  and  butchered  them.  Thus  Columbus 
found  himself  forced  into  a  nati\o  war.  He  was  not  yet 
sufficiently  recovered  to  take  the  field  in  person,  but 
the  Adelantado  acted  with  vigor,  and  Guacanagari  came 
and  offered  his  assistance.  Hostilities  were  opened  by 
tb*^.  redoubtable  Caonabo.  He  came  and  attacked  the 
fort  which  Ojeda  commanded,  but  his  naked  warriors 
stood  a  poor  chance  against  the  mail-clad  Spaniards 
using  firearms  and  protected  by  a  strong  fortification. 
They  were  repulsed,  and  when  they  retired  Ojeda 
followed  up  their  retreat  with  his  mailed  horsemen, 
inflicting  frightful  slaughter. 

Then  Ojeda  performed  an  extraordinary  exploit.  He 
determined  to  take  advantage  of  the  superstitious  awe 
which   the  Indians  felt  for  the  church-bells  at  Isabella, 


Second  Voyage —  Exploration  of  Cuba 


67 


wliich  they  culled  turey,  meaning  something  from 
he.iven.  When  they  heard  the  bells  ringing  and  saw 
the  Spaniards  hastening  to  church,  they  fancied  that 
through  the  metal  a  voice  was  speaking  from  the  skies. 
Ojeda  prepared  highly  polished  handcuffs.  Then,  with 
nine  men,  all  well  mounted,  he  rode  boldly  to  the  chief's 
mountain  fastness  and  told  him  that  he  had  come  from 
the  cacique  of  the  Christians  with  presents  of  marvelous 
virtue  that  had  come  from  heaven.  Thereupon  he 
showed  the  bright  manacles,  which  he  called  turey  de 
Viscaya,  and  invited  him  to  get  on  his  own  liorsc  and 
show  himself  before  his  people  adorned  and  mounted. 
The  simple  savage  was  delighted  with  the  gift  of  the 
heavenly  turey  and  the  opportunity  of  a^jpearing  l)efore 
his  people  riding  like  a  Spaniard.  He  bathed,  and  then 
let  himself  be  put  on  Ojeda's  horse  and  the  shining 
handcuffs  secured  on  his  wrists.  Ojeda  sprang  up  be- 
hind him  and  guided  liis  horse  around  the  admiring 
natives  in  widening  circles.  Suddenly  he  galloped 
away,  followed  by  his  men.  At  a  safe  distance  they 
stopped  and  fastened  their  prisoner  with  ropes.  After 
two  or  three  days  of  hard  riding,  they  brought  him 
into  the  Admiral's  presence. 

While  he  was  kept  at  Isabella,  Caonabo  confessed 
the  slaughter  of  the  garrison  at  Navidad.  His  pride 
never  deserted  him.  Wl'cn  the  Admiral  entered  the 
guard-room,  he  kept  his  seat;  but  when  the  sturdy 
little  captain  Ojeda  came  in,  he  rose  and  remained 
standing.  Columbus,  he  said,  had  not  come  to  his 
mountains  and  seized  him,  as  tlie  other  had  done.  lie 
respected  prowess  more  than  rank.     Later  this  indorai- 


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68 


The  World's  Discoverers 


! 


table  warrior  was  put  on  a  caravel  in  which  Columhus 
sailed  for  Spain.  A  captive  princess  from  Guadalonpu 
was  also  on  board.  She  was  offered  her  freedom,  but 
she  had  heard  his  story  from  Caonabo  and  was  touched 
by  his  misfoi'tunes.  Pity  and  admiration  grew  into 
love,  and,  woman-like,  she  sacrificed  her  liberty  and 
home  to  share  his  captivity  as  his  wife.  IJut  her  devo- 
tion did  not  avail.  The  proud  warrior's  heart  was 
broken,  and  he  soon  died  at  sea.  What  countless 
tragedies  would  the  story  of  those  lovely  islands  reveal, 
from  the  time  tlie  hapless  natives  first  saw  the  great 
winged  canoes  of  the  sup[)osed  heavenly  visitors! 

The  Carib  stock  to  which  Caonabo  belonged  is  thought 
to  have  come  over  from  Florida  or  from  South  America. 
It  was  a  far  hardier  and  more  savage  race  than  the 
original  population  of  tlie  islands. 

Tlie  ca[)ture  of  Caonabo  had,  however,  not  broken  up 
the  native  leaijue.  His  brother  led  his  tribe  into  the 
field.  They  were  joined  by  others,  and  soon  the  beau- 
tiful Vega  ileal  swarmed  with  thousands  of  warriors. 
Tlie  Admiral,  now  recovered  from  his  illness,  led  out 
his  little  force  of  two  hundred  infantry  and  twenty 
horsemen,  with  the  strange  addition  of  a  trained  mas- 
tift'  to  every  ten  men.  At  the  first  encounter  the 
deadly  arquebuses  mowed  down  the  crowded  ranks,  and 
Oje(hi  (lashed  among  them  with  his  mailed  horsemen. 
The  naked  wretches  could  offer  no  resistance  with  their 
clubs  and  wooden  spears.  A  sickening  butchery  fol- 
lowed, while  the  fierce  dogs  ravened  like  wolves  in  a 
sheep-fold.  It  was  from  the  prisoners  taken  on  that  day 
that  Columbus  sent  five  hundred  slaves  to  Spain. 


Second  Voyage  —  Exploration  of  Cuba      69 

This  disaster  broke  tlio  licarts  of  <li(>  natives.  Now 
begins  a  story  of  pitiless  exaction,  in  wliieli  Colunihns 
began  what  a  h)ng  line  of  liard  masters  continned.  The 
[)<H)V  Indians  were  ground  to  death  for  gohl.  A  tax  of 
a  hawk's  bell  full  was  laid  on  every  one  above  the  age 
of  fourteen,  'i'he  chiefs  were  coni[)elled  tf)  pay  a  pro- 
portionately larger  auunint.  In  those  parts  of  the 
country  where  there  was  no  gold,  cotton  was  accepted 
instead.  After  a  time  it  was  found  to  be  simply  im- 
possible for  each  native  to  gather  as  much  as  a  hawk's 
1x311  of  gold  (worth  about  tiv"  dollars),  and  the  tax  was 
reduced  to  half.  So  abject  was  the  submission  of  the 
natives  that,  as  a  historian  expressed  it,  a  solitary 
Spaniard,  unarmed,  might  solenndy  march,  as  if  he 
were  an  army,  from  end  to  end  of  the  island,  without 
receiving  harm.  In  Spanish  eyes  this  was  regarded 
as  the  perfection  of  good  government. 

Columbus  had  scarcely  given  this  proof  of  his  ability 
to  rule  well,  according  to  Spanish  ideals,  when  he  was 
called  on  to  render  account  of  himself  to  one  Aguado, 
who  had  been  sent  out  to  inquire  into  \r<  administra- 
tion, on  account  of  the  evil  report  that  had  been  made 
of  him  by  the  malcontents  who  had  fled  to  Spain.  The 
Admiral  received  him  very  meekly  and  endured  his 
pompous  meddlesomeness  with  a  degree  of  patience  Ihav 
surprised  e\erybody.  He  determined,  however,  to 
return  to  Spain,  to  present  his  case  in  person  to  his 
sovereigns.  Aguado,  also,  wms  going  back  with  a  long 
list  of  complaints.  Just  on  the  eve  of  sailing,  a  terrilic 
hurricane  burst  upon  the  settlement,  destroyed  many 
houses,  and  wrecked  every  vessel  in  the  harbor  except 


1' 


m 


70 


The  World's  Discoverers 


tlio  little  "Nina,"  whoso  career  had  been  so  wonder- 
fully adventurous.  It  heeanie  necessary  to  wait  nntil 
another  caravel  could  be  built  from  the  tindicrs  of  the 
wrecked  vessels.  Then  Cohnnbus  embarked  for  Spain, 
in  March,  149G,  taking  with  him  thirty  Indian  pris- 
oners and  two  hundred  and  twenty  sick  and  discon- 
tented   colonists. 

In  the  island  of  Guadaloupe,  where  he  stopped  soiwe 
time  to  take  in  water  and  a  supply  of  cassava  bread, 
there  was  a  fiei'ce  light  with  women  who  used  bows  and 
arrows.  From  this  circumstance  Columbus  concluded 
that  this  must  be  the  island  of  the  Amazons,  mentioned 
by  Marco  Polo.  For  some  reason,  he  chose  to  take  a 
due  east  course,  though  experience  should  have  taught 
him  that  he  would  need  to  make  his  way  in  the  teeth 
of  the  trade-wind.  In  consequence,  the  voyage  was 
long  and  provisions  ran  short.  Starvation  was  immi- 
nent, and  some  of  the  Spaniards  proposed  to  eat  the 
Indians. 

At  last  Cadiz  was  reached,  and  Columbus  landed  with 
his  company  of  half-starved  tatterdemalions,  so  yellow 
from  malarial  fevers  that  local  wags  said  that  the  only 
gold  they  brought  back  was  in  their  faces.  The  Indies 
were  beginning  to  lose  their  glamour. 

The  Admiral  received  a  gracious  letter  from  his  sov- 
ereigns inviting  him  to  come  to  them  at  once,  and  they 
greeted  him  with  the  utmost  cordiality.  Journeying  to 
court,  he  had  made  a  judicious  display  of  wealth  by 
bedecking  his  Indians  with  all  the  gold  trinkets  he  could 
muster.  The  brother  of  Caonabo,  with  a  heavy  gold 
chain  and  collar  on  his  neck,  figured  as  the  captive  kingf 


|8    f     I 


Second  Voyage  —  Exploration  of  Cuba      7 1 


of  the  golden  [)roviiice  of  Cibao.  Now  he  presented  to 
his  .sovereigns  the  precions  metal  he  hud  brought  home 
and  many  eurious  ohjeets.  The  tales  ol"  the  meddlesome 
Aguado  were  dismissed,  and  the  Admiral  seemed  to  be 
fully  restored  to  the  royal  confidenci'.  Orders  wert^ 
issued  for  a  new  fleet  to  be  pre^nired,  to  sail  under  his 
eonnnand,  and  all  seemed  to  promise  well. 

"Fine  words  butter  no  parsni[)S  "  is  a  homely  but  very 
expressive  adage.  Columbus  was  now  to  learn,  if  he 
had  not  learned  it  by  the  bitter  ex[)erience  of  years,  that 
it  applies  not  less  to  kingly  than  to  common  folk. 
While  Ferdinand  and  Isabella  were  annising  him  with 
honeyed  phrases  and  formally  assuring  him  of  the  con- 
tinuance in  full  force  of  their  agreement,  they  were  con- 
stantly violating  it  in  fact  by  letting  other  explorers  go 
out  on  their  own  account.  This  was  a  cheaper  way  of 
pushing  the  work  than  by  leaving  it  in  the  hands  of 
Columbus  alone.  They  undoubtedly  felt  that  they  had 
granted  too  much  to  hin)  at  the  outset;  and  while  they 
could  not  decently  revoke  the  concession,  they  sought 
to  avoid  fulfdling  its  terms.  It  is  quite  certain  that  if 
they  had  wished  to  live  up  to  their  promises,  it  would 
not  have  been  necessary  for  him  to  wait  two  full  years 
before  he  could  get  a  little  fleet  of  six  vessels. 

In  this  policy  of  delay  they  were  ably  seconded  by 
Bishop  Fonseca,  who  was  in  ?harge  of  the  Bureau  of 
the  Indies,  and  who  used  all  the  ingenious  devices  that 
malice  could  invent  to  obstruct  and  thwart  the  Admiral's 
plans.  Every  petty  official  took  his  cue  from  him  and 
understood  that  the  best  recommendation  to  his  favor 
was  to  put   difliculties    in    the    other's   way.     One  of 


Til  I 
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1 


72 


The  World's  Discoverers 


these  fellows  Coluiiilnis  one  diiy  seized  liy  tlie  senilY  nf 
the  iieek  iiiid  kieked  olt  tlie  pool)  of  i\w  lliig-shi[).  It 
iiiiiy  liave  been  a  very  piirdoiiabh!  [jrocedure,  hut  it 
eertahily  did  not  improve  his  standing  with  his  royal 
master  and  mistress. 


Third  Voyage — South  America 


73 


ciiArTKn  VI 


TUV:   THIIJI)    VOVACK   AND    TIIH    IHSCOVEUV    OF 
SOITH    AMERICA 

At  last,  ill  May,  14!>H,  Columbus  got  uiulcr  way  on 
his  third  t'X[)0(litioii.  He  had  heard  from  the  natives  of 
tlie  islands  he  had  visited  of  a  great  body  of  land  far  to 
the  south.  Besides,  a  learned  jeweler  had  written  to 
him  that  the  most  valuable  commodities  come  from  hot 
countries,  where  the  [)eople  are  black.  For  these 
reasons  he  determined  to  follow  a  far  more  southerly 
course  than  ever  l)efore.  Passing  the  Canaries,  he 
hugged  the  African  shore  as  far  as  the  Cape  Verde 
Islands,  before  he  turned  away  to  the  broad  Atlantic. 

Still  heading  southwest,  until  lir  was  but  a  few 
degrees  above  the  Equator,  he  found  himself  shortly  in 
the  region  of  equatorial  calms.  The  heat  was  terrilic. 
The  tar  melted  and  bubbled  in  the  seams,  the  salt  meat 
turned  })utrid,  and  the  hoops  shrank  from  the  barrels 
of  wine  and  water.  The  holds  of  the  vessels  were  like 
furnaces,  so  that  the  men  could  not  endure  to  stay  in 
them  long;  and  amid  this  fierce  heat  the  crews  were  on 
short  allowance  of  water.  After  several  days  of  intense 
suffering,  light  l)reezes  sprang  up,  the  weather  grew 
cooler,  and  the  fleet  was  wafted  slowly  toward  the 
western  world. 

On  the  31st  of  July,  two  months  out  from  Spain, 
three  peaks  were  descried,  and  Columbus,  on  account  of 


|i 


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74 


The  World's  Discoverers 


tlicir  Munibcr,  iiiinicd  tlio  pfi'oiit  isliiiul  which  camo  in 
sinlii  Triiiiihid  (Trinity).  Piissinjj;  to  the;  sonth  of  it,  he 
siiw  ;i  stretch  of  hind  on  liis  h'ft,  and  caUcd  it  the  isle 
of  (iiacia.  lie  little  dreamed  that  this  was  a  great  con- 
tinent, lint  when  the  men  chanced  to  draw  u\)  some 
WiiU'V  and  fonnd  it  ([uito  fresh,  lie  rightly  concluded 
that  h(!  nnist  he  off  the  mouth  of  a  great  river.  It  was, 
in  fact,  the  Orinoco.  Rut  time  i)ressed,  and  he  was 
anxious  to  reach  IIisi)aniola,  to  deliver  the  provisions 
for  which  the  colonists  were  probably  suffering.  There- 
fore he  sailed  away,  but  was  carried  far  to  the  westward 
by  the  great  current  which  sweeps  over  from  the  Afri- 
can coast,  and  which,  in  its  later  course,  we  call  tlie 
(julf  Stream.  Thus  lie  made  land  far  from  the  point 
for  which  lie  was  heading.  But  his  brother,  hearing  of 
his  arrival  on  the  coast,  came  out  in  a  caravel  to  meet 
him  and  escorted  him  to  the  new  city  which  he  had 
foun(^"  in  account  of  the  sickliness  of  Isabella,  and 
whic^  had  named  Santo   Domingo,  in  memory  of 

their  old  father,  Domenico  Colombo. 

It  would  require  a  volume  to  tell  of  the  cruelties,  the 
treacheries,  the  mutinies,  the  murders,  and  the  general 
disorder  in  llispaniola,  in  spite  of  the  energetic,  some- 
times very  severe,  measures  of  Hartholomew.  Such  has 
lieen  the  history  of  many  another  Spanish  possession. 
Now  we  come  to  an  instance  of  royal  perfidy. 

Two  years  after  Columbus's  return  to  llispaniola, 
when  he  had,  he  thought,  brought  its  affairs  into  some 
kind  of  order,  he  received  a  rude  shock  in  the  coming 
of  an  oflficial  who  had  been  sent  out  from  Spain  with 
extraordinary   powers  to  investigate  the  Admiral's  ad- 


Third  Voyage  —  South  America  j ^ 

iiiinistriition  and,  if  he  (Icoiiu'd  it  lu'ccssiii'v,  to  sii|h'is(mK' 
liim.  This  ucliou  was  tlic  rrsult  of  an  iiut'ssanl  sticain 
of  conqjiaints  jjicicned  l)y  disconLrnti'd  advuntnrcrs 
rctnrniHl  from  tiio  colony.  At  onu  tiniu  a  band  of  lifty 
needy  rajjfainnlilins  freqnented  the  conrt  of  the  Alluinihra 
and  slionted  their  demands  for  pay,  of  which  they  said 
they  had  been  defrauded,  whenever  tlio  ICinj^  ap[)eared. 
Their  malice  was  especially  directed  ai^ainst  (-ohnnbns, 
whom  they  [)rofes.sed  to  regaril  as  tlu;  author  of  their 
misfortunes  and  of  all  the  troubles  in  IIis[)aniola.  They 
hooted  his  sons,  who  were  i)ages  at  court,  when  they 
saw  them  [jassing. 

This  movement  against  the  Admiral  was  ably  backed 
by  his  steadfast  and  powerful  enemy,  I>ish()[)  Fonseca, 
who  encouraged  Ferdinand  in  granting  permission  for 
voyages  of  discovery,  in  direct  violation  of  his  pledges 
to  ColuniiUS.  In  truth,  the  powers  conferred  on  the 
latter  as  viceroy  were  very  great.  Ferdinand  would 
never  have  granted  them,  if  ho  had  believed  that 
Colundnis  would  find  anytliing  of  note.  Now  that  he 
realized  the  enormous  value  of  the  discoveries  made,  he 
would  have  liked  to  recall  his  concession.  Finally  he 
(U^cided  on  the  dishonorable  step  of  superseding  him 
without  a  trial  or  hearing,  and  Isabella  was  won  over  to 
consent  to  this  breach  of  faith. 

The  envoy  who  was  sent  out  on  this  extraordinary 
mission,  Francisco  liobadilla,  was  not  a  man  who  would 
temper  justice  with  kindness;  quite  the  reverse.  On 
his  arrival  in  ITispaniohi,  he  set  to  work  in  the  most 
violent  manner  to  undo  all  that  had  been  done  there. 
He   broke   open   doors  where   there  was  no  resistance 


if' 


Ik 


76 


The  \W)rlcl's  Discoverers 


It   I 


irt.i 


(tlTcivd;  seized  llie  Adliiil'iir.s  house,  in  his  iihseliec,  iilid 
ii|i|il'ii|H'iiited  his  |)ri\;ite  piijiers  uiid  liis<;(»ld;  liheiated 
ill!  Ihc  j;ul-l)ir(ls;  and.  mi  (loliiiulms's  retiii'ii,  thic^w  him 
and  his  hrotluns,  in  irons,  on  .shi[)hoar<l  and  (h'spatehcd 
them  to  S[iain. 

These  indignities  tlie  Admiral  endnred  with  aslonisli- 
in^'  patience.  Wlien  the  vcssid  was  well  at  sea,  her 
ca[)tain  and  her  owner  eanu'  to  him  and,  on  tlieir  knees, 
sou^'hl  to  remove;  the  iroi;^.  IJnt  \io  wonhl  not  aUow 
them.  He  hud  heen  manacdi'd,  lie  said,  by  the  C^tKH'n's 
representative,  and  only  hy  the  (Queen's  order  should  the 
irons  he  removed.  He  was  treated,  howevei',  with  the 
greatest  kindness  dniiiiL,^  the  voyage,  wliich  provt-d  to 
1)(!  a  (]ui(dc  one. 

On  his  arrival  in  Si):un,  the  news  qiiiekly  spread  tliat 
1h!  had  heen  l)rou.giit  hacdc  in  Irons,  and  eaus  ^d  a  gen- 
eral feeling  of  indignation.  I^'onseea's  emissaiy,  lioha- 
dilla,  had  so  far  exeeedcd  his  authority  and  had  acted 
with  so  intem[)erate  violence  that  he  had  aroused  a 
wi(h3  sym[)athy  with  (\)lund)us.  When  he  appeared 
before  the  sovei'eigns,  they  were  deeply  moved.  They 
both  rose  when  he  threw  himself  on  his  knees  before 
tlunn,  and  Isabella  wei)t.  Ste[)s  were  inunediatidy 
taken  to  recall  Hobadilla  and  bring  him  to  trial.  Hut 
this  did  not  mean,  as  Cohnnbus  hoped,  his  restoration 
to  his  ol'liee  and  his  rights.  Another  man,  Ovandc, 
was  sent  out  to  administer  the  colony;  and  though  he 
was  quite  a  different  sort  of  person  from  IJobadilla,  the 
fact  renrained  that  his  a[)i)ointment  violated  the  agree- 
ment with  Columbus.  It  was  quite  evident  that,  how- 
ever much  Isabella  might  sympathiz.e  with    Columbus 


li: 


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Third  Voyage  —  South  America  79 

personully,  she  and  her  husband  had  no  notion  of  rein- 
stating him.  It  is  quite  possible  that  they  really  were 
convinced  that  he  was  not  a  suitable  person  to  govern  in 
their  name,  for  a  viceroy's  powers  are  next  to  kingly. 
If  so,  they  were  in  the  unfortunate  position  of  being 
solennily  pledged  to  do  a  thing  which  they  believed 
would  be  disastrous.  It  is  quite  evident  that  they 
feared  the  effect  of  his  presence  in  Ilispauiola.  When 
they  gave  him  i)ermission  to  sail  on  another  voyage,  they 
strictly  forbade  his  touching  there  on  his  way  out. 

Now  for  two  years  we  have  the  miserable  spectacle  of 
this  great  genius  of  discovery  embittered  by  disap- 
pointment and  humiliation,  all  the  while  besieging  his 
masters  to  restore  his  rights,  as  he  liad  once  importuned 
them  to  furnish  him  with  the  slender  outfit  with  which 
he  sailed  to  find  a  world.  And  their  Majesties  acted 
just  as  they  had  acted  on  the  former  occasion;  they 
continually  put  him  off  with  fair  promises.  At  last  a 
time  3ame  when  they  might  employ  liim  again  in  the 
field  in  which  he  was  incomparably  great,  the  field  of 
discovery. 

During  these  two  years  his  active  mind  and  fertile 
imagination  were  incessantly  busy  with  various  schemes. 
One  revived  the  spirit  of  the  Crusades.  He  longed  to 
win  great  wealth,  which  was  to  be  used  in  a  military 
expedition  which  he  would  lead  to  w,  'st  the  Holy 
Sepulchre  from  the  infidels.  When  he  proposed  this  to 
his  masters,  they  no  doubt  smiled  inwardly,  while  they 
outwardly  commended  his  pious  zeal.  They  had  other 
matters  to  attend  to;  and  the  age  of  the  Crusades  was 
gone  by  forever.     But  another  jiroject  of  Columbus's 


i 


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80 


The  World's  DLscoverers 


looked  more  hopeful,  and  they  gave  willing  heed  to  it. 
He  had  pondered  much  on  the  cause  of  that  great 
current  sweeping  westward  which  he  had  encountered 
between  the  mouth  of  the  Orinoco  and  Ilispaniola.  As- 
suming Cuba  to  be,  as  he  firmly  believed,  an  extended 
peninsula,  there  was  but  one  conclusion:  this  current 
was  the  movement  of  water  through  an  o[)ening  to  the 
westward.  Doubtless  this  strait  led  directly  to  that 
mainland  of  Asia  which  all  his  life  he  had  dreamed  of 
reaching.     lie  asked  to  be  allowed  to  explore  it. 

This  proposition  looked  very  plausible,  and  Isabella, 
who  always  had  great  faith  in  his  scientific  insight,  took 
it  up  warmly.  Jiishop  Fonseca  and  his  su[)porters 
opposed  it  in  council.  Notwithstanding,  an  order  was 
2)assed  granting  Columbus  four  ships  for  this  new 
venture. 


li 


Fourth  Voyage  —  Death  of  Columbus       8i 


CHAPTER  VII 


THE  FOURTH   VOYAGE,    WITH    TEKKIBLE    EXPERIENCES 

ON  THE  COAST   OF   CENTRAL   AMERICA,    AND 

THE  DICATH   OF  COLUMBUS 

On  the  9th  of  May,  1502,  Columbus  sailed  on  his 
fourth  and  last  voyage.  He  made  a  quick  trip  and  on 
the  15th  of  June  sighted  the  island  now  called  Mar- 
tinique. He  was  forbidden  to  touch  at  Hispaniola. 
But  one  of  his  ships  was  a  very  poor  one,  and  he  wished 
to  exchange  her  for  another;  therefore  he  put  in  at 
Santo  Domingf,.  When  he  arrived,  a  richly  laden  fleet 
carrying  Bokidiila  and  a  number  of  the  most  disorderly 
persons,  besides  a  quantity  of  gold,  was  about  to  sail  for 
Spain.  Columbus  saw  the  signs  of  an  approaching 
storm  and  sent  word  to  his  successor,  Ovando,  entreat- 
ing him  not  to  let  the  vessels  sail.  His  warning  was 
disregarded ;  the  fleet  sailed ;  a  frightful  hurricane 
overwhelmed  it ;  more  than  twenty  vessels  were  sunk ; 
and  Bobadilla  and  others  of  the  Admiral's  enemies,  with 
their  ill-gotten  treasures,  including  one  huge  nugget, 
were  swallowed  up  in  the  sea.  Strangely  enough,  the 
only  treasure  saved  was  about  four  thousand  dollars 
belonging  to  Columbus. 

He,  too,  had  sailed,  having  been  refused  shelter  in  a 
liarbor  of  the  land  he  had  discovered.  But  he  kept 
himself  under  the  lee  of  the  island  and  escaped  with 
only  some  damage  to  the  vessels. 


((t 


!  ^i 


82 


The  World's  Discoverers 


I  i^l 


II  I' 


I.  I 


I   M 


Touching  at  Jamaica,  he  finally  readied  the  main- 
land of  Honduras.  Now  began  a  series  of  experiences 
so  remarkable  and  so  full  of  thrilling  adventures,  daring 
deeds,  and  perilous  situations  as  to  read  more  like  fic- 
tion than  history.  This  was  by  far  the  most  exciting  of 
Columbus's  voyages.  He  was  now  in  contact  with  a 
people  very  different  from  the  peaceful  natives  of  the 
islands,  a  race  of  fier<",e  savages;  and  more  tlian  once 
there  was  desperate  fighting,  in  which  the  Spaniards 
suffered  considerably. 

Had  he  sailed  west,  he  might  have  discovered  the 
Empire  of  Mexico,  with  its  vast  wealth.  But,  having 
always  in  mind  the  strait  which  he  was  seeking,  and 
understanding  the  natives  to  say  that  there  was  one  to 
the  east,  —  possibly  they  meant  a  strait  of  land,  the 
isthmus  of  Panama,  —  he  turned  in  that  direction.  For 
some  two  months  he  struggled  along  the  coast,  hindered 
by  contrary  currents  and  incessant  storms,  often  so  vio- 
lent that  the  seamen  thought  their  last  hour  had  come. 
All  this  time  the  vessels  grew  more  and  more  leaky,  the 
sails  were  tattered,  and  the  provisions  were  damaged  by 
rain  or  sea-water.  Columbus  himself  was  so  ill  most 
of  the  time  that  he  could  not  stand  on  the  deck.  But 
his  courage  never  failed.  He  had  a  little  observation- 
cabin  built  in  which  he  lay  and  kept  a  lookout.  Hap- 
pily, he  had  his  staunch  helper,  his  brother  Bartholo- 
mew, by  his  side;  and  the  presence  of  his  young  son, 
Ferdinand,  was  a  great  comfort  to  him. 

At  last  the  ships  doubled  a  cape,  after  which  the  land 
turned  suddenly  southward,  and  the  wind  was  favor- 
able.    The  joy  of  the  crews  was  expressed  in  the  name, 


Fourth  Voyage  —  Death  of  Columbus       83 

Gnicias  a  Dios  (Thanks  to  God),  by  which  the  cape  is 
known  to  this  day. 

SaiHng  down  the  Mosquito  Coast,  the  voyagers  found 
reedy  rivers,  alive  with  alligators.  In  one  of  these  a 
boat  was  upset  and  the  crew  drowned.  The  natives 
were  suspicious  and  unfriendly,  showing  themselves  on 
the  sliore  well  armed  and  ready  to  fight.  Some  pres- 
ents that  were  made  to  them  they  either  brought  l)ack 
or  left  on  the  beach,  as  if  they  suspected  some  magic 
in  them.  The  superstitious  sailors,  Columbus  with 
the  rest,  on  their  side  believed,  from  some  indications 
which  they  noticed,  that  the  people  of  tliis  region  had 
great  power  as  enchanters,  and  that  this  was  the  cause 
of  the  frightful  storms  they  experienced.  Nearly  a 
hundred  years  later,  Drake's  men  believed  themselves 
to  be  in  waters  ruled  by  demons.  Columbus,  liow- 
ever,  kept  on  his  way,  having  gathered  from  some  of 
the  natives  that  he  would  find  gold  further  on,  and 
still  daily  expecting  to  see  the  strait  that  would  lead 
to  India. 

Now  he  was  off  Costa  Rica  (Rich  Coast)  and  begiui  to 
see  gold  ornaments  on  the  natives.  One  of  them  sold 
a  plate  of  pure  gold,  worth  twenty  dollars,  for  trinkets 
that  cost  a  few  cents.  Others  wore  gold  in  thin,  bur- 
nished plates,  bat  refused  to  sell  them.  Much,  how- 
ever, as  Columbus  longed  for  gold,  he  longed  still  more 
x.i'  the  strait,  and  he  understood  the  natives  to  say  that 
it  was  near.  Probably  they  were  speaking  of  the  ocean 
[    the    isthmus    on    which     '         "      '        ^ 


beyond    t 
sailed,  and  a 


to  th 


ame  to  tiie  conn 
the  line  of  his  descendar 


n   tney   uvea.      un   ne 

try  of  Veragua,  from  which 

has  taken  its  title  of  Dukes 


;  I 


84 


The  World's  Discoverers 


hm 


of  Vei'iigua.  Here  there  was  not  any  .strait  found, 
but  there  was  plenty  of  gohl  among  the  people,  and 
after  their  disposition  to  light  liad  been  overcome  by 
firing  a  cannon,  they  bartered  it  freely. 

Co]uml)us  seems  now  to  have  al)andoned  the  idea  of 
finding  a  strait,  but  lie  was  convinced  of  the  great  value 
of  the  province  he  had  discovered.  Gold  was  certainly 
to  be  had  there  in  abundance.  Bartholomew,  going 
inland  some  distance  with  a  party  led  by  native  guides, 
found  iirains  of  it  amonjjf  the  roots  of  the  trees.  Jt  was 
decided  that  a  settlement  sliould  be  formed  there.  Bar- 
tholomew Avas  to  remain  in  cliarge  of  eighty  men,  with 
one  vessel,  while  the  admiral  should  return  to  Spain  for 
supplies  and  reinforcements.  At  once  the  work  of 
})uilding  cabins  and  a  storehouse  was  begun.  It  never 
was  finished. 

The  cliief,  Quibian,  so  soon  as  he  saw  that  the  for- 
eigners were  preparing  to  settle  permanently  in  the  coun- 
try, organized  a  league  to  destroy  them.  One  Diego 
Mendez,  who  proved  himself  the  hero  and  savior  of  the 
expedition,  observing  the  Indians  assembling,  and  sus- 
pecting their  intentions,  penetrated  alone  to  the  cliief's 
village,  on  a  [)lausible  pretext,  and  was  confirmed  in  liis 
suspicion.  He  returned  and  reported  to  Columbus  that 
the  neighl)orliood  swarmed  with  Indians  who  were 
gathering  to  overwhelm  the  little  colony.  Happily, 
Columbus  had  been  detained  by  the  low  water  on  the 
bar  of  the  river.  Else  he  would  have  sailed  away,  and 
the  colony  would  have  been  massacred. 

It  was  now  determined  to  seize  Quibian  himself  and 
thus  break  up  the  league.     Bartholomew  took  seventy- 


Fourth  Voyage  —  Death  of  Columbus       85 

four  iiiiMi,  well  iu'uumI,  uiul  asceiuled  the  Venigua  River. 
Wlii'ii  he  iii-ared  tho  chiut's  villiiye,  lie  left  the  imist  of 
his  men  within  cull  and,  with  Meiidez  and  tive  others, 
went  hoklly  forward.  Presently  Quibian  came  out  and 
sij^ned  to  him  to  come  forward  alone.  Bartholomew 
did  SG  and  inniiediately  threw  his  arms  about  him  and, 
with  a  violent  struggle,  held  him  fast  until  the  others 
came  up  and  bound  him.  A  shot  iired  as  a  signal 
brought  up  the  rest  of  the  S[)aniards.  They  ([uickly 
surrounded  (^uibian's  cabin  and  captured  every  soul  in 
it,  —  some  fifty  men,  women,  and  children,  the  most 
important  personages  of  the  tribe,  : —  together  with  a 
(piantity  of  line  gold  ornaments,  such  as  collars,  chains, 
and  plates. 

Quibian  was  wily  as  well  as  brave.  On  board  the 
boat  which  was  conveying  him  to  the  ships,  he  com- 
plained that  the  ropes  hurt  him.  The  pilot  in  charge 
no  sooner  loosed  them  than  he  jumped  overboard,  dived, 
and  disappeared.  The  Spaniards  supposed  that  he  was 
drowned,  and,  with  his  family  and  friends  safe  under 
hatches,  they  fancied  that  the  colony  would  not  be 
disturbed. 

By  this  time  rains  had  come,  raising  the  water  on  the 
bar,  and  Columbus  had  jrot  his  caravels  over.  llap[)ily, 
however,  he  had  not  yet  jailed,  but  was  waiting  to  get 
in  wood  and  water.  With  this  view,  he  seni  a  boat  up 
the  river,  under  one  of  his  captains,  Diego  Tiistan. 
The  boat  ascended  some  distance,  when  it  Avas  suddenly 
surrounded  by  war-canoes.  Volleys  of  arrows  were 
poured  into  it,  and  Tristan  and  every  man  of  the  party 
were  killed,  except  one  who  jumped  overboard,  dived, 


il 


Irii 


m 


86 


The  World's  Discoverers 


and  swum  a  long  distiuicc,  after  which  lie  hmded  and 
made  Ins  way  to  tlie  scttknncnt. 

When  lie  reached  it,  he  t'onnd  the  garrison  hnddled 
together  on  the  shore  behind  a  barricade  of  planks  and 
barrels.  They,  too,  had  e"i)erienced  the  revengeful 
fury  of  the  savages,  (^nibia,  far  from  being  drowned, 
was  very  much  alive  and  thi.  iting  to  revenge  the  cap- 
ture of  his  family.  He  had  jronght  a  large  force  and 
attacked  the  Spaniards.  The  latter  had  defended  them- 
selves successfully  in  a  long  fight,  in  which  they  lost 
one  man  killed  and  eight  wounded,  among  whom  was 
IJartiiolomew.  But  since  the  cabins,  near  the  woods, 
exposed  them  to  renewed  attacks,  they  had  decided  to 
cam})  on  the  shore.  There  they  now  were,  under  the 
cover  of  two  guns,  in  a  state  of  siege,  while  tlu;  woods 
echoed  with  the  blowing  of  conch-shells  and  the  beating 
of  war-drums. 

MeaiiLime  Columbus,  outside  the  bar  with  his  cara- 
vels, wondered  why  Tristan  did  not  return.  It  was  a 
dangerous  place.  His  vessels  were  worm-eaten  and 
rotten,  and  at  any  time  they  might  be  struck  by  a  hurri- 
cane. Days  passed  by,  and  no  news  came  from  the 
shore.  He  had  but  one  boat  left,  and  dared  not  risk  it 
in  the  surf.  Then  one  Ledesina  voluntee^'od  to  swim 
ashore,  if  he  were  rowed  as  far  as  the.  surf.  He  suc- 
ceeded and  returned  to  Columbus,  reporting  the  mas- 
sacre of  Tristan's  party  and  the  desperate  condition 
of  the  garrison,  besieged  and  short  of  provisions. 
Apparently,  they  could  not  cross  the  bar  with  their  car- 
avel, because  the  water  was  again  low. 

In  this  dilemma  the  courage  and  ingenuity  of  Mendez 


Si  ! 


Fourth  Voyage  —  Death  of  Columbus       8 7 

again  came  to  the  rescue.  He  nuide  rafts  by  fastening 
two  canoes  togetlier.  IJy  towing  these  with  the  ont; 
boat,  in  eight  days  of  hard  work  the  men  and  the  elTfcts 
of  the  eoh)iiy  were  conveyed  on  shipboard.  Veragiia 
was  abandoned,  and  tlie  Spaniards  sailed  away,  Mendez 
connnanding  Tristan's  caravel  as  the  reward  of  his  si'.v- 
viees.  Their  experience  on  this  coast  had  cost  tlie 
Spaniards  twenty-three  lives. 

In  this  fierce  resistance  of  the  natives  we  cannot  fail 
to  see  a  brave  people  heroically  defending  their  liberty. 
A  tragic  incident  shows  how  much  they  prized  it.  The 
prisoners  had  been  kept  in  the  hold  of  a  ship.  While 
Columbus  lay  waiting  off  the  bar,  one  night  they  raised 
the  trap-door  and  made  a  rush  for  their  freedom.  A 
number  threw  themselves  overboard  and  escaped;  but 
the  sailors  hastened  to  shut  the  trap-door  on  the  rest. 
In  the  morning,  when  the  hold  was  opened,  a  ghastly 
spectacle  presented  itself.  The  poor  wretches,  !n  their 
despair,  had  all  strangled  themselves. 

Some  of  the  most  trying  experiences  of  this  memorable 
voyage  were  yet  to  come.  So  worm-eaten  and  leaky 
were  the  caravels  that  Columbus  was  obliged  to  abandon 
one  of  them,  and  it  was  only  by  the  greatest  exertions 
that  the  remaining  two  were  kept  afloat.  The  pumps 
were  going  incessantly,  and  the  men  baled  day  and 
night  with  kettles  and  pans.  At  last  it  became  evident 
that  it  would  be  impossible  to  reach  Hispaniola,  and 
Columbus  beached  the  sinking  vessels  on  the  coast  of 
Jamaica.  They  quickly  filled.  But  he  built  cabins  on 
the  decks,  and  in  these  the  men  lived.  The  natives 
soon  began  to  come  in  flocks  with  food  for  barter,  and 


15 


II 


f»  li' 


I   I 


\% 


88 


The  World's  Discoverers 


Mciidc/,  foivscring  the  l';iilurt'  of  tlu'  supplies  in  tho 
iininciiiiilc  iici^^iiltoi'liood,  iiiiulo  u  journey  inliind  and 
oryiinized  a  regular  system  of  supplies  to  be  furnislied 
hy  cliiefs  throughout  the  isUind.  lie  also  bought  a 
fine  canoe. 

IJut  the  great  problem  was  how  to  secure  the  means 
of  escape  from  their  [)]ight.  Again  Mendez  canu!  to  tlie 
front.  "My  Admiral,"  he  said,  "I  have  but  one  life  to 
lose,  and  I  will  gladly  risk  it  in  such  a  cause.  Let  me 
go  in  my  canoe  to  Ilispaniola."  Columbus  gladly 
accepted  this  offer;  and  the  brave  fellow,  having  put  a 
coat  of  tar  on  his  canoe  and  a  false  keel,  together  with 
some  boards  around  the  gunwale,  and  having  fitted  it 
with  a  mast,  sailed  away  on  his  perilous  venture.  At 
the  eastern  end  of  the  island  he  was  seized  by  hostile 
natives,  who  were  about  to  put  him  to  death.  But  he 
escaped,  got  into  his  canoe,  and  returned  to  the  Admiral, 
but  only  to  arrange  for  a  fresh  start. 

This  time  it  was  determined  that  Bartholomew  should 
march  with  a  stiong  force  to  the  eastern  end  of  the 
island,  to  protect  him  until  he  could  get  to  sea.  A  brave 
Genoese,  named  Fieschi,  volunteered  to  accompany 
him,  and  each  was  to  have  a  canoe  with  five  Indians, 
who  went  of  their  own  accord. 

The  courage  of  this  undertaking  was  heroic,  and  it 
was  carried  out  in  the  same  spirit  both  by  the  whites 
and  by  their  Indian  boatmen.  Think  what  it  meant  to 
start  out  to  cross  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  of  open 
ocean  in  such  frail  craft!  All  the  night  and  all  the  next 
day  the  faithful  Indians  paddled,  half  working  whilo 
the   other  half   rested.     Sometimes   they  cooled  them- 


Fourth  V'oyagc — Death  of  Cohuiibus        S9 


s«'lv('s  l»y  ii  |tluiij;('  ill  lln'  scii.  Tlicii  tlicy  went  to  wmk 
iigaiii.  '[\\v  heat  was  I'carliil,  aud  llu'ir  watcc  supply 
was  exliaiisti'd.  Tliu  S[)aiiiarils  nnivcd  tlicin,  from  liiiio 
to  time,  with  a  littk!  gul[»  from  tlirii-  own  watcr-ket^s. 
When  tiiiii'o  was  any  hrcr/.c  the  caiuK'S  can-iod  sail. 
SoiiK'timcs  the  white  men  jtadcUed  loo.  Aiiotlier  uii^ht 
[)assed,  and  the  next  day  was  fearful.  The  Indians  were 
fainting  with  heat  and  exhaustion.  One  [)oor  fellow 
died  and  was  thrown  into  the  sea.  The  Spaniards  wore 
making  for  a  small  guano  island  called  Navasa.  As  yet 
there  was  no  sign  of  it,  and  the  last  drop  of  water  had 
been  drunk.  Then  the  blazing  siui  went  down,  and 
witli  the  coolness  of  night  the  Indians  revived  a  little 
and  i)a(hlltHl  feebly.  At  hist  the  moon  rose,  and  Mendez 
noticed  that  it  came  up  from  ludiind  something  dark. 
He  gave  the  joyful  cry,  "Land!  "  and  the  boatmen  re- 
newed their  efforts. 

It  was  oidy  a  bare  patch  of  rocks.  But  the  men 
found  a  little  water  collected  in  hollows,  and  they 
ate  nuissels  which  they  gathered  on  the  shore.  All 
the  day  they  rested  and  slept  in  the  shade  of  rocks. 
When  night  came  they  started  again  and  finished  their 
memorable  ti'ii). 

It  will  scarcely  be  believed  that  Ovando,  the  governor 
of  I  lispaniola,  allowed  eight  months  to  elai)se  after  the 
arrival  of  Mendez  and  Fieschi,  before  he  sent  relief  to 
Columbus.  Then  he  despatched  a  vessel  with  some  provi- 
sions, but  with  the  strictest  orders  not  to  bring  away  one 
of  the  shii)wrecked  men.  Finally,  Mendez  secured  some 
money  from  Columbus's  agent  at  Santo  Domingo,  bought 
and  provisioned  a  vessel,  and  sent  it  to  his  relief. 


r  ;  :, 


i  i  fl 


90 


The  World's  Discoverers 


i  H' 


I ; 


In  tlio  mean  tinio  tlii!  Adiiiiral  had  liiul  j*roiit  troul)los 
to  (loiil  witli.  Oiu!  WHS  Unit  tlio  siip[)lie.s  of  lood  fui- 
nishcid  by  tlio  Indians  were  growing  very  seant  and 
irrcgnlar.  He  innst  lind  some  way  of  stirring  tiiem  up. 
Then  a  ha[)[)y  tlionglit  came  to  liim.  He  knew  from  liis 
astronomical  tables  that  within  three  days  there  w(ml(l 
he  a  total  eclipse  of  the  moon.  At  once  lie  sent  out  a 
messenger  to  sunnuon  tiie  caciques  to  come  to  a  council 
on  that  day.  When  the  Indians  a[)i)eared  he  made 
them  a  speech  and  told  them  that  his  God  was  angry 
with  them  for  not  supplying  more  food  to  his  children, 
the  Spaniards,  and,  to  show  his  wrath,  he  would  that 
evening  hide  his  face.  The  most  of  his  hearers  made 
light  of  his  words,  lint  when  evening  came,  and  the 
bright  moon  suddenly  began  to  darken,  they  were  terri- 
fied and  ran  to  C'olumbus  with  whatever  food  they  could 
gather  up,  im[)loring  him  to  use  his  influence  with  his 
God  not  to  bi!  angry  with  them.  He  answered  that  he 
would  try  what  he  could  do,  aiul  immediately  retired 
into  his  cabin,  where  he  was  supposed  to  be  engaged  in 
interceding  for  them.  There  he  remained  during  the 
whole  increase  of  the  eclipse.  About  the  time  when  he 
knew  that  it  would  be  ])assing  off,  he  came  out  and  told 
the  fi'ightened  Indians  that  his  God  had  consented  to  for- 
give; tiiem  if  they  would  j)romise  never  again  to  neglect 
supplying  his  children,  the  Spaniards.  They  gladly  agreed 
and  acceptiul  the  gradual  brightening  of  the  moon  as  a 
sign  that  God  was  not  angry  riuy  more.  From  that  time 
Columbus  had  no  further  trouble  about  food. 

There  had  also  been  a  mutiny,  followed  by  a  fight,  in 
which  Bartholomew  got  the  better  of  the  rebels,  after 


,v 


Fourth  Voyage — Death  of  Cokuiihus        91 

killing'  soiiK!  (if  till 'III.  Col  1 1  III)  II  IS  |iiirii(iMr(|  (lie  its  I,  iiiul 
liiially  tlicy  all  Imik  leave  l(i.i;etlu  r  ol'  (lie  tlialelied  dUi 
hulks  (HI  wliicli  they  had  spent  nearly  a  lull  year. 

iM'Lera  month's  rest  in  I  lispaiiiola,  (Niliiiiilms  sailed, 
with  those  ol"  his  men  w  ho  w  islied  to  return  to  S|iain, 
in    two  vessels    which  hu  hired  with   his  own    money. 


''"'"^^^S®^ 


';;^*^*;" 


1  r 


//' 


''^:^^ 


.;lllll!l 


^-^^.^ 


HOUSE   IN   WHICH   COLUMBUS   DIED 

The  voyacfo  proved  very  stormy,  and  one  vessel  was  sent 
ha(dc  disabled.  .Vt  last  he  readied  Sjiain,  after  an 
ahseneo  of  more  than  two  years. 

When  he  arrived  in  Spain,  Isabella  was  dyinc^.  lie, 
too,  was  nearing  his  end.  The  ex[iosnres  and  liardshi^JS 
of  his  vova[jes  had  undermined  his  constitution,  and  for 
years  he  had  at  times  suffered  keenly.     But  he  never 


I- 


92 


The  World's  Discoverers 


vH 


()iM'(^  iiliiitod  liis  insistence  on  liis  riglits.  AU  the  wliile 
Ferdinand  played  the  ohl  game  ol"  promises  and  dehiys. 

At  last  the  great  discoverer,  poor,  negh  vted,  and  de- 
serted, save  by  a  few  faithful  friends,  among  whom  wei'e 
the  hrave  iMendez  and  Fieschi,  died  in  Valladolid,  on 
the  '21st  of  May,  ITjOO,  8o  departed  a  great  soul,  one 
of  the  greatest  in  histor}'. 

One  of  liis  deaicst  h(j{)es  had  been  to  found  a  titled 
family  and  hecineath  his  honors  to  his  posteiit}'.  It 
would  have  rejoiced  the  heart  of  the  weaver's  son  on 
his  deathbed,  could  he  have  foieseen  that  his  son  Diego 
would  marry  a  daughter  of  one  of  the  proudest  families 
of  Spain,  would  obtain  the  restitution  of  tlu;  rights 
which  had  been  withheld  from  himself,  and  would  sail 
foi-  IIis[)aniola  as  its  governor,  where  he  lived  in  splen- 
did state  some  years.  The  descendants  of  the  discov- 
eiei"  are  among  the  grandees  of  Spain  and  bear  the  title 
of  Dukes  of  Veragua.  The  other  son,  Ferdinand,  his 
companion  during  the  last  voyage,  never  married,  but 
devoted  his  life  to  collecting  books  and  jjapers  illustrat- 
in»if  his  father's  career. 


W     !•■  ! 


■  I 

]   ] 


J  ^ 

!' 

Vasco  da  Gama's  Voyage  Begun  93 


Ml  tlio  wlii](3 
;  and  (lela3-.s. 
rted,  and  de- 
g  wliom  were 
''alladolid,  on 
cat  soul,  one 

'ound  a  titled 
josterit}'.  It 
Lver's  son  on 
Ills  son  Diego 
idest  families 
)f  the  rights 
lid  would  siiil 
ived  in  splen- 
)f  the  diseov- 
bear  the  title 
'erdinand,  his 
married,  but 
lers  illustrat- 


CHAPTER    VIII 

VASCO   DA   gama's   VOYAGE   BEGUN 

The  immediate  effect  of  the  discovery  of  America 
was  to  turn  all  eyes  westward.  Next  it  gave  a  great 
stinudus  to  exploration,  in  general.  All  the  civilized 
nations  wished  to  have  a  i)art  in  finding  and  claiming 
new  lands.  Thus  Henry  of  England,  who  had  rejected 
Columbus's  overtures,  sent  out  John  Cabot,  who  dis- 
covered Newfoundland.  The  effect  of  this  impulse 
was  seen  in  Portugal's  energetically  exploring  the  new 
route  she  had  opened.  With  this  view,  in  1407,  she 
sent  out  Vasco  da  Gama  to  follow  up  Diaz's  work. 

The  voyage  then  made  was  one  of  the  most  notable  of 
nautical  achievements.  For  ages  Europe  and  Asia  had 
known  each  other  dimly  through  overland  traffic  by 
caravan.  Now  they  were  brought  face  to  face.  For 
the  first  time,  at  least  within  our  certain  knowledge,  a 
ship  of  the  Western  World  entered  the  waters  of  Asia. 
The  wonders  of  the  Orient,  which  had  taken  all  sorts  of 
fanciful  an.d  monslrous  slnqjcs  in  travelers'  tales,  became 
s(j})er  matters  of  fact.  In  a  word,  the  dreamland  of  the 
imagination  became  a  tangible  reality.  What  Colum- 
bus sought  Vasco  da  Gama  found.  Indeed,  it  would  be 
diOicult  to  overstate  the  consecpiences  of  his  voyage. 
It  opened  a  new  epoch  in  the  world's  development.  In 
importance,  it  ranks  next  to  Columbus's  discovery.     It 


i!  i 


^    li 


|!k 


.'II 

■  ^ 

10 


94 


The  World's  Discoverers 


is  natural,  therefore,  that  Portugal  should  be  proud  of 
it  as  her  great  national  achievement.  It  has  enjoyed 
tiio  hoiior  of  being  made  th(!  theme  of  a  splendid  epic 
poem,  the  Lusiad,  by  Camocns,  in  imitation  of  that  in 
which  Virgil  has  celebi'ated  the  wanderings  of  ^^hieas. 

One  circumstance 
shows  the  immense  in- 
fluence of  Marco  Polo 
in  stimulating  the  spirit 
of  exploration.  There 
was  a  mythical  person- 
age called  Prester  John, 
of  whom  much  was 
heard  in  Europe  from 
the  twelfth  century 
down  toa comparatively 
late  day.  He  was  re- 
puted to  be  a  mighty 
priest-kinr  reigning  in 
almost  inconceivable 
splendor  over  a  great 
Christian  kingdom.  A 
score  of  archbishops  sat 
on  his  rigfht  and  a  hun- 

VASCO  DA   GAMA  .  '^ 

dred  mitred  bishops  on 
his  left  hand.  Ten  thousand  knights  and  a  hundred 
thousand  footmen  were  his  body-guard.  In  his  palace 
the  commonest  articles  were  of  gold  studded  with  gem". 
All  these  fables  Euro})e  believed,  and  the}'  seemed  to 
derive  confirmation  from  the  narrative  of  Marco  Polo, 
who  makes  frequent  mention  of  Prester  John  and  locates 


Vasco  da  Gama's  Voyage  Begun  95 

him  in  eastern  Asia.  We  are  not  surprised,  tlicrefore, 
that  Vasco  da  Gama  was  specially  instructed  to  seek 
the  kingdom  of  Prester  John.  Accordingly  we  find 
him  everywhere  inquiring  for  Christians  in  eastern 
Africa  and  India;  and  the  expectation  of  encounter- 
ing them  led  him  and  his  followers  into  some  ludi- 
crous mistakes. 

Splendid  as  were  the  results  of  this  voyage,  it  nnist 
be  said  that  Gama  achieved  fame  on  f.  jrly  easy  terms. 
The  greatest  difliculty  had  already  been  overcome  by 
Diaz,  and  his  successor  had  the  benefit  of  his  experi- 
ence, as  well  as  the  guidance  of  a  pilot  who  had  sailed 
with  him. 

Unlike  Columbus,  Gama  did  not  originate  the  scheme 
of  his  voyage,  but  was  selected  by  the  king  to  take  com- 
mand of  the  expedition  which  he  proi)osed  sending  out. 
He  was  already  known  as  a  man  of  energy  and  capacity 
and  well  versed  in  nautical  matters. 

The  fleet  was  made  up  of  three  vessels,  —  the  flag- 
ship, the  "San  Gabriel;"  the  "San  Raphael,"  com- 
manded by  Paulo  da  Gama;  and  the  "Herrio,"  by 
Nicolau  Coelho,  with  a  store-ship.  On  July  the  8th 
they  sailed.  In  company  with  them  was  a  shi[)  com- 
manded by  Diaz,  who  was  on  his  w.iy  to  take  cliarge  of 
a  fort  on  the  African  coast;  and  Gama's  pilot  was  i'lio 
d'  Alenquer,  who  had  been  with  him  on  bis  memoraljle 
voyage  around  the  Cape. 

From  the  Cape  Verdes  Gama  took  a  new  departure. 
Instead  of  creeping  along  the  coast,  as  had  been  done 
by  his  predecessors,  he  boldly  shaped  a  course  through 
the  mid-Atlantic  for  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.     Thus  ho 


.A 

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96 


The  World's  Discoverers 


did  not  sigiit  land  again  for  ninety-three  days,  nearly 
three  times  as  long  as  Columhus  was  out  of  sight  of 
land.  Then  he  made  his  landfall  at  St.  Helena  Bay, 
not  far  from  the  cape.  It  was  a  bold  stroke  and  as 
wise  as  it  was  novel.  Sailing  vessels  at  the  present  day 
follow  almost  precisely  the  route  which  this  daring  Por- 
tngues(!  struck  out.     It  avoids  baffling  currents. 

It  was  Novenilier  the  Stli  when  he  cast  anchor  in  St. 
Helena  I>ay.  There  he  remained  a  week,  cleaning  the 
ships,  mending  the  sails,  and  taking  in  wood.  The 
voyagers  made  many  interesting  observations  on  the 
country  and  its  inhabitants.  One  of  the  natives  was 
captured  by  surrounding  him  as  he  walked  along  in- 
tently scanning  the  ground  ct  the  foot  of  bushes  for  wild 
honey.  lie  was  taken  on  board  and  was  at  first  much 
frightened.  But  Gama  handed  him  over  to  two  ship's 
boys,  one  of  whom  was  a  negro,  with  orJers  to  treat 
him  kindly,  and  he  soon  was  at  his  ease.  The  next  day 
he  WIS  sent  ashore  loaded  with  presents.  As  was  ex- 
pected, troops  of  natives  now  visited  the  strangers. 
Gama  showed  them  a  variety  of  articles,  such  as  spices, 
gold,  and  pearls,  to  see  whether,  they  recognized  them. 
They  evidently  knew  nothing  of  them  and  had  not 
anything  for  barter. 

One  Fernao  Velloso  asked  permission  of  the  captain- 
major  to  accompany  some  of  these  friendly  natives  to 
their  dwelling,  to  see  how  they  lived  and  what  they  ate. 
Leave  was  given  him,  and  he  went  away  with  a  party 
of  the  blacks.  After  going  some  distance,  they  told 
him  by  signs  that  he  should  not  go  further.  On  his 
returning  to  the  shore,  the  natives  kept  skulking  near 


. 


Vasco  da  Gama's  Voyage  Begun  97 

in  the  bushes.  This  indication  of  treachery  alarmed 
Velloso,  and  he  sliouted  to  the  vessels  to  come  for  him. 
Gama  himself  lieard  his  cries  and  immediately  put  off 
in  a  boat  to  his  rescue.  At  the  same  time  the  negroes, 
seeing  the  boat  coming,  ran  along  the  beach  towards 
Ve]l()s  »,  and  it  was  a  race  between  them  and  his 
friends.  Tlie  Europeans  won  and  got  Velloso  into 
the  boat.  But  the  savages  threw  their  assegais  and 
wounded  Gama  and  three  or  four  others.  The  Portu- 
guese would  no  doubt  have  taken  a  bloody  revenge, 
had  they  not  left  their  arms,  in  their  haste  to  rescue 
Velloso. 


m 


98 


The  World's  Discoverers 


CHAPTER    IX 


i  1 


i    1  ! 


u- 


ROUNDING  THE  CAPE  OB"  GOOD  HOPE 

t 

Setting  sail  again  on  the  6th  of  November,  Gania 
soon  made  the  cape.  But  doubling  it  was  no  easy 
matter.  At  last,  on  the  22d,  with  a  change  of  wind,  it 
was  passed.  At  a  point  some  distance  beyond,  the 
voyagers  had  some  friendly  intercourse  with  the  natives. 
They  began  to  realize  that  they  were  a[)proaching  the 
East  when  they  saw  signs  of  elephants  at  a  watering- 
place  near  the  shore.  A  troop  of  natives  came  down, 
driving  cows  anr^  sheep,  and  seemed  to  be  very  merry, 
for  they  danced  on  the  beach,  to  the  accompaniment  of 
their  rude  instruments.  Then  the  Portuguese,  in  their 
turn,  showed  a  dance  of  their  country,  to  the  music  of  a 
trumpet.  After  this  there  was  some  lively  trading,  and 
the  Europeans  bought  a  fat  black  ox  for  three  bracelets. 

These  people  had  plenty  of  cattle,  all  very  fat  and 
tame,  and  used  them  for  riding  by  placing  on  their  backs 
a  species  of  packsaddle  made  of  reeds.  In  the  ba}^  at 
a  distance  of  three  bow-shots  from  the  shore,  was  an 
island  on  which  was  seen  a  great  number  of  seals,  some 
very  formidable  in  appearance,  with  great  tusks.  The 
chronicler  says  quaintly,  "while  the  big  ones  roar  like 
lions,  the  little  ones  cry  like  goats."  This  island  is 
still  called  Seal  Island,  though  its  former  visitors  no 
longer  appear  where   once  they  flocked.     There  was, 


Rounding  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope         99 


also,  a  great  number  of  penguins,  of  which  the  saik)rs 
killed  as  many  as  they  wanted. 

The  Portuguese  were  not  long  in  getting  into  diiri- 
cnlties  with  the  natives,  as  they  did  in  most  eases.  The 
negroes  seemed  incensed  with  the  foreigneis  on  account 
of  their  taking  their  water.  They  stop[)e(l  trading  and 
drove  their  cattle  oil  into  the  hush,  (lama,  in  order  to 
overawe  them,  landed  an  armed  force  and  lircd  a  bom- 
bard from  the  bow  of  the  long-boat.  The  negroes  there- 
upon scami)ered  away  and  were  soon  seen  driving  their 
cattle  to  the  tt)p  of  a  hill.  On  the  IGtli  of  December 
the  Portuguese  j/assed  the  furthest  point  reached  by 
Hartholomew  Diaz,  what  is  now  known  as  the  (Jreat 
Fish  River.  Thenceforward  all  was  a  fn'ra  incotjnila^ 
which  no  European  had  ever  visited,  so  far  as  is  known 
historically.  The  voyagers  noted  that  the  country  im- 
proved in  appearance  and  the  trees  increased  in  size. 

By  Christmas  Day  they  sighted  new  land,  which,  on 
account  of  the  date  of  its  discovery,  they  called  Natal. 

They  now  spent  many  days  at  sea  without  touching. 
In  consequence,  their  drinking-w^ater  ran  very  low, 
and  they  were  put  on  short  allowance.  They  were 
therefore  compelled  to  seek  a  harbor.  On  January  11 
they  put  into  the  mouth  of  a  small  river  and  anchored. 

The  next  day  they  went  close  in-shore  in  boats  and 
saw  a  crowd  of  negroes,  both  men  and  women.  They 
w^ere  tall  and  well-formed  people  and  seemed  very 
friendly.  Gama  sent  ashore  one  of  the  sailors  who  had 
been  a  long  time  in  the  Congo  country,  with  a  present 
for  the  chief  of  a  jacket,  a  pair  of  red  pantaloons,  a 
Moorish  cap,  and  a  bracelet.     The  sable  king  received 


I'  ■' 
If ' 


I  oo 


The  World's  Discoverers 


1  'ii' 


the  messenger  very  warmly,  made  him  wek;ome  to  what- 
ever his  countrymen  needed,  and,  immediately  putting 
on  the  garments,  marched  him  off  to  his  village.  IMicre 
his  Majesty  paraded  in  his  new  finery  and  ordered  his 
guest  to  be  well  entertained.  The  latter  was  served 
with  a  fowl  and  a  j)onidge  of  millet,  which  must  have 
been  a  feast  to  one  who  had  been  living  on  ship  fare 
cooked  in  sea-water.  All  the  night  througli  numbers  of 
men  and  women  came  to  have  a  look  at  the  first  white 
man  that  had  ever  visited  their  country.  No  doubt  the 
swarthy  Portuguese  did  not  startle  them.  J5ut  what 
would  they  have  thonght,  if  their  visitor  had  been  a 
blue-eyed  Scandinavian?  In  the  morning  the  sailor 
started  for  the  shore  with  a  present  of  fowls  from  the 
chief  and  a  following  of  quite  two  hundred  curious  folk. 
The  people  of  the  country  seemed  to  have  an  abundance 
of  cop[)er,  which  they  bartered  freely  for  shirts. 

Among  these  kindly  natives  for  whom  the  Portuguese 
called  the  country  Terra  da  Boa  Gente  (Land  of  Good 
People),  five  days  were  spent  in  watering  the  vessels. 
Then  they  sailed  on,  though  with  a  still  inadequate 
suppl3%  l)ccause  the  wind  was  favorable. 

r»y  January  22  a  low,  thickly  wooded  coast  was 
reached,  and  the  vessels  anchored  in  the  mouth  of  a 
broad  river.  They  found  the  people  very  friendly  and 
were  snpi)lied  with  whatever  they  needed.  The  natives 
were  naked,  with  the  exception  of  a  breech-cloth,  and 
had  their  lips  pierced,  wearing  in  them  bits  of  twisted 
tin.  After  a  few  days  two  chiefs  came  down  the  river 
to  see  the  strangers.  They  were  very  haughty  in  their 
manner  and  cared  nothing  for  what  was  given  them. 


Rounding  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope       loi 

Oii(>  of  ilifiii  wore  ji  cup  Avilli  ii  fiiiif^*'  ciiildoidorcd  in 
silk',  and  they  liad  with  tliciii  u  }<»iiiin'  man  who  cv- 
phiini'd  by  wigns  that  lio  had  conic  IVoin  u  far  country 
and  hud  already  seen  bi;^  shi[).s,  liki;  those  of  the  Por- 
tuyncso.  These  signs  of  their  aitproaching  a  connner- 
cial  rci^'ion  olathh'ned  the  licai'ts  of  the  voyan'crs,  Vov 
this  reason  they  called  the  river  Hio  dos  IJons  Signaes 
(River  of  Good  Tokens). 

Jlere  they  s})ent  thirty-two  days  in  taking  in  water 
and  in  careening  and  repairing  the  vessels.  Here,  too, 
they  had  a  melancholy  experience  of  the  disease  so  fatal 
to  the  early  navigators,  the  scurvy.  Paulo  da  Gania, 
who  has  left  on  the  records  the  iin[)ress  of  a  singularly 
sweet  and  humane  nature,  devoted  himself  to  relieving 
the  poor  fellows,  visiting  them  day  and  night  and  freely 
dis[)ensing  the  medicines  which  he  had  brought  for  his 
own  use. 

On  the  24tli  of  February  the  expedition  put  to  sea 
again  and  on  the  2d  of  Marcli  arrived  at  Mozand)ique. 
Several  boat-loads  of  natives  came  out  to  greet  the 
strangers  with  nuisic  and  welcome  them  cordially. 
They  boarded  the  ships  without  hesitation  and  ate  and 
drank  freely  of  whatever  was  offered  them.  Evidently 
they  mistook  their  visitors  for  IMolunumedans,  like  them- 
selves. The  leading  people  of  the  East  being  of  that 
faith,  they  naturally  supposed  these  superior  strangers 
to  be  of  the  same. 

In  the  port  the  Europeans  found  four  vessels  "laden 
with  gold,  silver,  cloves,  pepper,  ginger,  and  silver 
rings,  as  also  with  pearls,  jewels,  and  rubies.''  Such 
cargoes  must  indeed  have  encouraged  the  Westerners 


i- 


i 


i '  if?; 
I  'M 


:'  .1 

\\4      .1: 


I02 


The  World's  Discoverers 


with  thi!  tlioiij^'ht  of  iK'iiriiij^  the  storied  woiiltli  of  the 
lOiist.  No  woiuU'i'  tliat  iiimu'diatcly  \\c  begin  to  hear 
of  I'rcH tor  John.  The  ehroiiieler  says,  "'I'he  residence 
of  I'rester  John  was  said  to  be  far  in  the  interior,  and 
coukl  be  reached  only  on  the  back  of  camels.  This  in- 
formation and  many  other  things  which  we  heard  ren- 
dered us  so  hapi)y  that  we  cried  with  joy,  and  prayed 
God  to  grant  us  health,  so  that  we  might  behold  what 
we  so  much  desired."  It  was  no  doubt  the  Emperor  of 
Ethiopia  or  Abyssinia  of  whom  the  I'ortuguese  heard. 

The  chronicler,  himself  a  sailoi,  gives  interesting 
information  about  the  vessels  of  the  country,  built  with- 
out nails,  of  planks  fastened  togot)ier  with  coir-rope, 
and  having  sails  made  of  palm-matting.  They  used 
navigating  instruments  and  charts  superior  to  those  pos- 
sessed by  Europeans  of  that  day.  They  had  also  "Gen- 
oese needles,"  or  compasses.  This  instrument,  then 
but  recently  introduced  into  Europe,  is  said  to  have 
been  long  known  to  the  Chinese. 

At  first  the  Sultan  and  people  of  Mozambique  treated 
their  visitors  with  great  courtesy.  But  the  chronicler 
says,  "  when  they  learnt  that  we  were  Christians,  they 
arranged  to  seize  and  kill  us  by  treachery."  The  first 
trouble  grew  out  of  the  escape  of  one  of  two  pilots  whom 
Gama  had  hired,  with  the  approval  of  the  Sultan.  Two 
boats  going  in  search  of  him  were  met  by  several  boats 
filled  with  armed  men.  The  Portuguese  routed  them 
quickly  by  firing  their  bombards.  The  next  trouble  had 
reference  to  obtaining  water.  The  Portuguese  landed 
at  night  and  searched  until  daylight  for  water,  under 
the  guidance  of   a  native  pilot.     But  lie  either  could 


'1!l 


Rounding  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope        103 

nut  or  would  not  lead  tlu;in  to  it  iiiid  seeiiied  to  tliiiik 
nitlicr  ol"  milking  his  osciipi'.  Wiitcr  they  must  luivi'. 
Tlicivt'orc,  ou  tlu!  next  cvenini^s  iittt'udud  by  the  siime 
man,  they  iiyiiin  iiijproiiched  th<3  hmding.  Some  men 
armed  with  assegiiis  were  drawn  up  on  tlie  beaeh  to 
()l»p()S{!  them.  Tliese  the  bombards  sent  seam[)ering 
into  ilie  bush,  and  the  Portuguese  got  all  the  water  they 
wanted.  The  next  day  a  native  threatened  the  Portu- 
guese, in  case  they  should  dare  to  land  again.  On 
hearing  this  menace,  Gama  sent  two  armed  boats  to  tlie 
shore.  The  natives  made  some  resistance  with  bows  and 
slings,  then  fled  behind  a  palisade.  The  Christums 
bombarded  the  town  for  three  hours  and  saw  at  least 
two  men  killed,  while  the  people  fled  with  their  chattels 
to  a  neighboring  village.  This  needless  barbarity  was 
one  of  a  series  of  high-handed  aggressions  of  which 
Gama  was  guilty  at  different  places.  He  was  a  ruth- 
less man  by  nature,  and  had  brought  with  him  the  old 
hatred  of  the  Moors  which  was  common  to  the  Portu- 
guese and  Spaniards.  These  people  of  Mozambique  the 
voyagers  called  Moors,  because  they  were  Mohammedans 
and  spoke  Arabic. 

"  When  we  were  weary  of  this  work,"  says  the  chron- 
icler, "we  retired  to  our  ships  to  dine."  After  dinner 
they  renewed  their  warfare  on  the  terrified  inhabitants, 
seizing  boats  in  which  they  were  carrying  away  their 
goods,  and  making  prisoners.  Another  day  was  spent 
in  watering  and  more  bombardment.  Then  they  with- 
drew to  some  islets  near  by,  where  they  waited  three 
days,  "  in  the  hope  that  God  would  grant  us  a  favorable 
wind,"  the  chronicle  piously  adds. 


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104 


The  World's  Di.scovcrers 


A  few  (liiys  later  tlic}  I'oiiiid  lliciiischi's  off  some 
islands,  oiic  (tf  wliicli  tlicy  called  Illui  di>  A(,'(Mitad(», 
"because  of  tlie  tloggiiiLj'  iiillieted  upon  our  Moorish 
pilot,  who  had  lied  to  the  captain  liy  statiuj,^  that  tiu!se 
islands  were?  the  niainlaiul."  Ih;  was  suspected  of  wish 
iuy  to  lead  the  vessels  into  shallow  water,  where  they 
would  he  wrecked.  Uunnin}^  up  the  coast  for  S(»nio 
days,  tlu!  fhig-ship  one  nigiit  grouncU'd  on  a  reef  about 
two  leagues  from  the  laud.  'I'he  crew  warned  the  other 
V(!ssel8  by  shouts,  and  theses  saved  themselves  by 
promptly  throwing  out  their  anchors.  When  the  tide 
fell,  the  ''Raphael"  lay  high  and  dry;  but  by  getting 
out  many  anchors,  with  the  high  tide  she  was  floated. 

The  next  st(ip  was  niade  at  M()nd)asa.  A  nundjcr  of 
vessels  were  in  the  harbor,  "all  dressed  in  flags."  Not 
to  be  outdone,  the  Portuguese  made  themselves  gay  with 
bunting;  but  they  could  make  only  a  poor  show  of  men, 
for  i\\v.  most  of  theirs  were  sick.  So  confident  were  they 
of  fuuling  Christians,  that  they  fully  exi)ected  to  go 
ashore  the  next  day  "and  hear  mass  jointly  with  them." 
Instead,  a  dhow  approached  them  at  midnight  with 
about  a  hundred  men,  all  armed  with  cutlasses  and 
shields.  They  were  halted,  and  only  a  few  of  the  most 
distinjruished  were  allowed  to  come  aboard. 

The  next  day  the  king  despatched  a  present  of  a  sheep 
and  a  large  quantity  of  oranges  and  lemons,  with  a  ring, 
as  a  pledge  of  safety,  and  a  friendl}'  message.  Gama, 
in  return,  sent  a  small  gift  by  two  of  his  men,  "with 
peaceful  assurances."  The  messengers  were  hospitably 
entertained  and  shown  through  the  city.  "At  the 
house  of  two  Christian   merchants "  they  saw  a  paper 


Roumliiu!;  the  Cape  of  Ciood  Hope        105 

(•(iiitaiiiiiiif  "11  sketch  of  tlif  Holy  (iliost  "!  It  piolialily 
was  11  I't'iircsciitalitiiMil' a  I  liiidiMt  (Icily,  That  \U'j;\\\  the 
I'tirtMi;iU'Sc,  I'oi  Sdiuc  icasmi  siisjiccliiij^  tlic  natives  of 
treachery,  toitiired  two  of  th(3  Mozambique  lueii  whom 
they  had  l)roiit,dit  ahmy,  Ity  (lro[)i)iiit;  hoiliiiL;'  oil  u|ioii 
their  skins,  to  extort  u  confession.  'J'he  poor  w  retches 
said  tliat  or(h'i-s  had  hecn  j^iven  toeaptui'c  the  vi-ssids  as 
soon  as  they  shouhl  enter  tlie  inner  harhor,  to  aven<^(! 
the  wrongs  (h)Me  at  Mozamhi(|Ue.  Wiien  th(!  torture 
was  ahout  to  he  applied  again,  the  mist'rahh'  ereatuics 
threw  themselves  into  the  water,  though  their  hands 
wej'e  tied.  Ahout  midnight  a  swarm  of  men  were  dls- 
co\-ei'cd  swinnning  around  the  vessels,  some  trying  to 
cut  the  eahles,  others  to  elnnh  aboard.  When  tl:o 
alarm  was  given,  they  quickly  disapj)eared.  '''riiesc 
and  other  wi(!ked  tricks  Avere  praetis'd  u[Hm  us  by 
these  dogs,  but  our  Lord  did  not  allow  them  to  succeed, 
l)ecause  they  wen;  unbelievers,"  tlui  chronicler  piously 
says.  The  expedition  remained  several  days  jit  Mom- 
basa, in  the  bo[)e  of  securing  a  })ilot  for  C'alecut.  Tlie 
city  was  linely  situated  on  an  eminence  and  had  a  huge 
trade.  Its  fine  air  soon  nnived  the  sick.  In  it  were 
seen  many  persons  in  irons.  These  the  Portuguese 
concluded  must  be  oppressed  Cliristiaus. 

They  went  on  up  the  coast,  })lundei'ing  tbe  craft  which 
they  found  and  seizing  tbe  crews  and  passengers.  In 
one  were  sevcnt(;en  men.  When  these  were  overtaken, 
they  threw  themselves  into  tbe  sea,  but  the  Portuguese 
boats  i)ieked  them  up.  All  these  iidiumanities  were 
considered  justifiable  because  they  were  practised  on 
unbelievers.     At  Malindi  the  Portuguese  spent  several 


is 


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4    ■    i      it: 


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The  World's  Discoverers 


days.  The  king  had  no  doubt  heard  of  the  violence 
done  by  them  elsewhere.  He  therefore  showed  great 
caution  and  would  not  venture  on  board  the  vessels. 
(Jama  responded  in  the  same  spirit  by  declining  his  invi- 
tation to  visit  him,  assigning  as  a  pretext  that  his  orders 
from  his  master  did  not  allow  him  to  go  ashore.  The 
two,  however,  met  in  small  boats  which  lay  side  by 
side,  and  had  a  long  conference.  Gama  then  released 
his  captives,  which  gratified  the  king  very  much. 
After  this  some  of  the  Portuguese  and  some  of  the 
prominent  Malindiai.s  exchanged  v  jits.  The  people  of 
the  town,  during  the  nine  days'  stay  of  the  strangers  in 
their  harbor,  gave  a  succession  of  fetes,  sham-fights,  and 
nuisical  performances.  The  lofty  houses,  well  white- 
washed and  ligiited  with  many  windows,  must  have 
made  a  very  pretty  show  amid  their  palm-groves  and 
vegetal)le  gai'dens.  No  wonder  that  the  Portuguese 
Inigored  in  this  pleasant  si)ot. 

But  they  still  lacked  a  pilot  for  the  coast  of  India. 
Thcefore  Gama,  after  his  usual  method,  seized  a  confi- 
dential servant  of  ihe  king  who  was  visiting  him  and 
demanded  a  pilot  in  exchange  for  him.  Thereupon  a 
"Christian  pilot,"  a  native  ot  India,  was  sent,  to  Gania's 
great  delight;  and  on  the  24th  of  Ajuil  the  fleet  sailed 
for  Calecut. 


Da  Gama  in  India 


107 


CHAPTER  X 

ARRIVAL   IX   i:,DIA  AND   VAi;ii:i)   EXPERIENCES   THERE 

For  tlie  first  few  days  llio  vessels  kept  the  African 
coast  in  siglit.  Tlien  they  struck  ont  IxjUlly  across  the 
Arabian  Sea.  For  twenty-three  (kiys  no  hiiul  was  seen. 
Then  lofty  mountains  h)omed  up  on  the  horizon :  India, 
the  hind  of  enchantment! 

On  the  20th  of  May  tlie  vessels  anchored  two  leagues 
from  the  city  of  Calecut.  Just  two  hundred  years  after 
Marco  I'olo  wrote  liis  stoiy  in  a  Genoese  prison,  Euro- 
peans ai)peared  in  a  })ort  of  India. 

One  of  the  men  was  sent  ashore  and  met  two  ]\Ioors 
from  Turis  who  could  speak  Spanish. 

"The  Devil  take  thee!  Wliat  brought  you  hither?" 
they  asked.  The  man  answered  that  his  countiymen 
had  come  "in  search  of  Christians  and  spices."  One 
of  them  came  to  the  vessels  with  him.  His  first  v/ords 
were :  "  A  lucky  venture !  Plenty  of  rubies,  plenty  of 
emeralds!  You  owe  great  thanks  to  (lod  for  having 
brought  you  to  a  countr}'  of  sucli  riches."  The  Portu- 
guese were  overjoyed  to  hear  their  tongue  spoken  in  this 
strange  land. 

"The  city  of  Calecut  is  inhabited  by  Christians,"  Fays 
the  chronicle.  Of  course  tliis  was  an  error,  l*^  was 
one  which  the  Portuguese  easily  fell  into,  on  account  of 
their  confident  expectation  of  meeting  Christians. 


■  i-       -V  ■ 


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The  World's  Discoverers 


Another  tiling  tlia^  contributed  to  their  mistake  wjis 
ihat  the  Ilinchn)  images  wliieli  they  saw  in  the  temi)k^s 
were  not  unlike  those  to  which  they  wei-e  accustomed  in 
their  churches,  wherciis  the  Moluunmedan  abhorrence  of 
images,   which  they  consider  idolatrous,  deepened    the 


X 


[.    I 


KRISHNA   NURSED  BY  DEVAKI 

enmity  between  them  and  tlie  Christians.  No\,  we 
shall  see  our  explorers  constantly  making  ludicrous  mis- 
takes, under  the  influence  of  this  delusion.  For  in- 
stance, the  writer  gives  us  an  elaborate  description  of  a 
church,  with  an  image  of  "  Our  Lady  " !  In  this  pagoda 
or  teniple  some  of   the  I'ortuguese  said  their  prayers. 


Da  Gama  in  India 


109 


(fi 


Still  it  is  quite  possible  thiit  some  of  them  luul  doubts, 
for  one  of  them,  kneeling'  by  the  side  of  Viiseo  da  Gama, 
wl)is[)cred,  "If  these  l)e  devils,  1  worship  the  true  God." 
The  chronicler  verj'  innocently  writes:  "The  saints  pic- 
tured on  the  walls  of  the  church  were  painted  variously, 
with  teeth  protruding  an  inch  from  the  mouth,  and  four 
or  live  arms."  iSuch  grotesque  figures  of  Hindoo 
deities  are  W''ll  known  to  us  from  illustrations  in  books. 

It  would  be  a  long  story  if  we  should  tell  all  the  ex- 
periences of  the  Portuguese  in  this  land  of  their  dreams. 
They  were  no  longer  dealing  with  barbarians,  as  on  the 
African  coast;  they  were  surrounded  by  the  monuments 
of  an  ancient  civilizatio'i.  The  accunuilateil  wealth  of 
ages  was  about  theni.  They  were  on  the  skirt  of  a 
vast  and  populous  country,  and  they  dared  not  take 
that  high-handed  course  which  they  had  followed  so 
insolently  in  the  African  ports.  The  throng  of  boats 
crowding  about  their  vessels  and  the  denso  crowds 
packing  the  streets  as  they  passetl  through,  constantly 
reminded  them  that  it  behooved  them  to  be  careful, 
since  their  lives  dci)ended  on  it.  It  even  ])efell  the 
haughty  captain-major  to  find  himself  treated  very 
nnich  as  if  he  had  been  a  prisoner  in  the  hands  of  a 
•'ictorious  foe. 

In  an  audience  with  the  sovereign  "the  king  was  in 
a  small  court,  reclining  upon  a  couch  covered  with  a 
cloth  of  green  velvet,  above  which  was  a  good  mattress, 
and  upon  this  again  a  sheet  of  cotton  stuff,  very  white 
and  fine,  more  so  than  any  linen.  The  cushions  were 
after  the  same  fashion.'  He  was  chewing  betel-nut 
incessantly,  using  a  large  golden  cup  as  a  spittoon. 


V. 


I,      •   "J,     ! 


!      ::J 


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The  World's  Discoverers 


Ganiii  approiiclicd  the  Oriental  potentate  with  a  salu« 
tation  "in  the  manner  of  the  country,  putting  tlie  hands 
together,  tlien  raising  them  towards  heaven,  as  is  done 
by  Christians  when  addressing  God,  and  immediately 
afterwards  opening  them  and  shutting  the  fists  quickly." 
He  was  courteously  received,  and  the  king  ordered 
water  for  his  visitors'  hands  and  fruit  for  them  to  cat. 
Two  or  three  kinds,  including  bananas,  were  prepared 
for  them  by  attendants,  and  while  they  ate  tlie  king 
looked  on  smiling,  all  the  while  chewing  betel-nut. 

After  thit.  M'^^  king,  lying  on  a  couch  covered  with 
stuffs  endjroidv.  In  gold,  listened  to  an  address  from 
Gama  through  an  interpreter.  The  Portuguese  did 
not  fail  to  extol  the  greatness  of  his  own  monarch.  He 
was  sent,  he  said,  by  a  king  who  was  "lord  of  many 
countries  and  the  possessor  of  great  wealth,  exceeding 
that  of  any  king  of  these  parts,"  to  seek  the  Christians 
of  India.  He  had  not  come,  he  declared,  for  gold  and 
silver,  "for  of  this  they  had  such  abundance  that  they 
needed  not  to  seek  it  in  foreign  countries."  He  was 
under  o  .xlers  from  his  master  "  not  to  return  to  Portugal 
until  he  should  have  discovered  this  king  of  the  Chris- 
tians, on  pain  of  having  his  head  cut  off."  He  was 
further  instructed  to  say  to  his  Majesty  that  the  King  of 
Portugal   desired  to  be  his  friend   and  brother. 

It  is  likely  that  the  Indian  monarch  saw  through  this 
plausible  pretence  of  pious  zeal.  If  he  could  have  fore- 
seen the  career  of  bloody  conquest  and  ruthless  plunder 
of  which  this  alleged  embassy  was  the  entering  wedge, 
he  would  not  have  let  one  of  the  Portuguese  leave  the 
country  alive.     As  it  Avas,  he  treated  them  with  cour- 


Da  Gama  in  India 


1 1 1 


tesy,  but  with  marked  suspicion.  Wlien  Gania  exhib- 
ited certain  articles  which  he  proposed  sending  to  the 
king  as  a  present,  the  hitter's  olhcers  hiughed  at  them 
and  said  that  tliey  wouhl  not  dare  to  take  them  to  tlieir 
master;  that  tlie  poorest  merchant  from  Mecca  or  any 
part  of  India  would  send  something  more  valuable;  and 
that  the  only  acceptable  offering  would  be  gold.  After 
Gama's  loud  boasting  of  his  master's  wealth,  his  pro- 
posed gift  must  have  seemed  paltry  indeed.  He  was 
terribly  mortiiied  at  this  rebuff. 

Tlien  followed  days  of  per[)lexity.  Gama  was  kept 
waiting  four  hours  in  an  ante-room,  as  if  he  were  a  com- 
mon suitor  for  royal  favor.  He  and  his  comrades  were 
taken  hither  and  thither,  made  to  spend  the  night 
away  from  their  vessels,  and  kept  under  restraint,  as  if 
they  were  prisoners.  They  were  suspected,  watched, 
and,  without  open  violence,  made  to  feel  that  they  were 
not  welcome.  The  Portuguese  attempts  to  land  and 
barter  their  goods  were  evaded,  under  various  i)rctexts. 
'AH  the  wiles  of  the  East  were  employed  to  discourage 
them  and  induce  them  to  depart. 

This  untoward  result  they  attributed  wholly  to  tlie 
influence  of  "the  Moors  of  the  place,  who  were  mer- 
chants from  Mecca  and  elsewhere,  and  who  knew  us  and 
could  ill  digest  us."  They  told  the  king  that  the  Por- 
tuguese were  thieves,  and  that  if  he  encouraged  their 
visits,  his  country  would  be  ruined.  At  last  the  Portu- 
guese were  warned  by  two  "Christians  "  that  if  the  cap- 
tains went  ashore,  their  heads  would  be  cut  off. 


* 


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mm'--' 


I 


II  '"^ 


I;-'!; 


.iii 


I  12 


The  World's  Discoverers 


CHAPTER  XI 


KETUUN  TO  I'OKTUCJAL 


"Finally,  at  tlie  end  of  August,"  says  tlie  chroni- 
cle, "  tlio  ca[)tuin-niajoi'  and  other  captains  agreed  that, 
inasmuch  as  we  had  discovered  tlie  country  we  had 
coine  in  search  of,  as  also  s[)ices  and  precious  stones,  and 
it  appeared  impossible  to  establish  cordial  relations 
with  the  people,  it  would  be  well  to  take  our  departure. 
We  th(;refore  set  sail  and  left  for  Portugal,  greatly  re- 
joiced at  our  good  fortune  in  having  made  so  great  a 
discovery." 

It  was  quite  in  Vasco  da  Gama's  usual  manner  to 
kidnap  some  of  the  natives  of  the  Malabar  coast  and 
carry  them  off  with  him.  We  are  not  surprised,  tl'f  ve- 
fore,  when  we  read  tiiat,  while  the  fleet  lay  becali  ed, 
shortly  after  sailing,  about  sixty  small  boats  crowded 
with  armed  men  approached  them.  These  were  kept 
at  a  distance  by  firing  the  bombards.  Then  a  thunder- 
storm came  up,  and  carried  the  lawless  strangers  out  to 
sea  and  beyond  the  pursuit  of  the  small  boats. 

Three  weeks  later  the  fleet  was  still  hovering  off  the 
Malabar  coast  and  was  at  the  little  Anjediva  Islands, 
the  largest  of  which  is  less  than  a  mile  long.  While  it 
lingered  here,  taking  in  wood  and  water  and  such  sup- 
plies as  were  to  be  had,  two  suspicious  vessels  were  ob- 
served near,  wliile  six  or  eight  w^ere  at  a  distance  in  the 
open  sea.     The  captain-major  immediately  gave  orders 


Da  Gama's  Return  to  Portugal        1 1  3 


for  sinking  tlie  former.  One  csca[)e(l,  but  the  other  was 
taken  after  tlio  crew  had  got  away.  Nothing  was  found 
in  her  but  provisions,  coooanuts,  and  arms.  Tlit;  next 
day  some  men  who  visited  the  vessels  said  that  tliis  lleet 
had  come  out  from  Calecut  to  capture  the  Portuguese. 

Here  the  vessels  remained  twelve  days,  chictly  occu- 
pied in  careening  the  "Herrio."  The  ski[)per  ol'  the 
captured  craft  came  to  Gama  and  olfered  to  buy  it,  but 
he  was  told  that  it  was  not  for  sale,  and  as  it  l)elonged 
to  an  enemv,  it  would  be  burned.  About  the  same 
time  Gama  gave  another  sample  of  his  quality.  A  well- 
dressed  man  had  come  to  the  fleet  with  friendly  speech 
and  overtures,  saying  that  he  was  in  the  service  of  a 
powerful  lord  who  had  heard  of  the  Portuguese  and 
had  sent  him  to  invite  them  to  visit  him,  with  the 
assurance  that  he  would  give  them  anything  in  his 
country  and  would  make  them  welcome  if  they  wished 
to  remain  permanently. 

This   plausible    speech    impressed    Gama    favorably. 

But  in  the  mean  time  his  brother  had  made  inquiiy  of 

the  "Christians"  who  had  come  with  the  stranger,  as  to 

who  he  was.     They  said  that  he  was  a  pirate,  whose 

ships  and  people  were  on  the  coast,  and  that  his  real  })ur- 

pose  was  to  attack  the  Portuguese.     On  this  infoniiu- 

tion,  Gama  caused  the  man  to  be  thrashed,  to  extoi-t  a 

confession  from  him.     lie  even  proceeded  to  torture  him 

repeatedly.     He   could   not,  however,    elicit  anything 

such  as  he  expected.     He  then  sailed   away,  carrying 

the  stranger  with  him.     When  the  vessels  were  several 

hundred  miles  at  sea,  "the  Moor"  said  that  ho  would 

not  try  to  disseml)le  any  longer,  and  that  he  had  been 

8 


1 
I 


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The  World's  Discoverers 


st'iit  l»y  liis  uiiistcr  to  entice  them  to  liis  country,  in 
order  tliiit,  having  tlieni  in  his  jjower,  he  might  emph)y 
tliem  in  his  wars  with  ncighhoring  kings. 

The  passage  across  the  Arahian  Sea  proNXMl  to  he  a 
terrihle  and  liideous  experience.  Owing  to  cahns  and 
foul  winds,  it  was  three  months  from  land  to  land. 
Think  what  that  meant!  The  scurvy  hrokc;  out  in  its 
most  horrihle  form.  The  men's  swollen  gums  grew 
over  their  teeth,  so  that  they  could  not  eat.  Their  legs 
and  bodies  swelled  also  until  death  brought  release. 
In  this  way  thirty  died.  As  many  had  died  in  the 
voyage  to  India.  So  many  others  were  ill  that  only 
seven  or  eight  remained  fit  for  duty  on  each  ship.  In 
this  extremity  the  usual  vows  to  the  saints  did  not  fail 
to  be  made. 

At  last,  on  the  2d  of  January,  1490,  the  African  coast 
w.is  sighted.  It  was  not  less  eagerly  welcomed  than  if 
it  had  been  the  native  shore  of  the  wretched  mariners. 
They  did  not  know  where  they  were,  however,  for  there 
WAS  not  a  pilot  on  board  and,  of  course,  not  a  chart. 
They  saw  before  them  "a  large  town,  with  houses  of 
several  stories,  big  palaces  in  its  centre,  and  four  towers 
around  it.''  They  ascertained  that  it  was  Magadoxo,  in 
the  territory  now  known  as  Somauli,  about  two  degrees 
north  of  the  Equator.  The  place  belonged  to  the 
Moors.  For  this  reason,  no  doubt,  they  did  not  ven- 
ture in  their  enfeebled  state  to  enter  the  harbor,  but 
sailed  on  down  the  coast.  A  few  days  more,  with  a 
favorable  wind,  brought  the  sea-worn  mariners  to  the 
friendly  port  of  Alalindi.  Its  hospitable  king  hastened 
^o  send  off  a  present  of  sheep,  with  a  message  of  wel- 


Da  Gama's  Return  to  Portugal        i  i 


5 


conio.  Gaina  sent  ashore  for  a  sn[)ply  of  oranges, 
which  the  siek  esi)eeially  craved.  But  the  gratefnl  fruit 
came  too  hite  for  many.  A  nunil)er  died  in  this  port. 
'"Five  (hiys  were  si)ent  in  tliis  agreeahlc  haven  in  re- 
[)osing,"  says  the  clironieler,  "  f rom  tlie  hardships  of  a 
passage  in  which  all  of  us  had  heen  face  to  face  with 
death."  When  the  fleet  sailed 
away,  it  carried  a  tusk  of  ivory, 
as  a  present  from  the;  native 
ruler  to  the  King  of  Portugal, 
and  a  young  Moor  as  an  envoy. 
The  latter  lived  to  return,  two 
years  later,  with  Cabral,  the 
discoverer  of  Brazil. 

A  few  days  later  Gania,  find- 
ing it  impossible  to  handle  three 
vessels  with  the  small  number 
of  men  remaining,  burned  the 
"Sao  Raphael."  lie,  however, 
took  off  her  figure-head,  an 
image  of  the  archangel  ciirved 
in  oak,  and  carried  it  Avith  him  the  figure-head  of  the 

_,  ,  _  -  SAO  RAPHAEL 

to  1  ortugal.     Jt  was  preserved 

for  generations  as  an  heirloom  in  the  Gama  family, 
and  finally  found  a  \)Vm:o.  of  honor  in  the  church  at 
liclem  which  commemorates  the  famous  voyage.  There 
it  may  be  seen  to-day. 

Little  more  needs  to  be  said  of  the  return  voyage. 
At  Sao  Braz  the  vessels  lay  some  time,  while  the  crews 
caught  and  salted  stores  of  ancliovics,  seals,  and  pen- 
guins, in  preparation  for  the  long  stretch  beyond  the 


11 


Sf!|    -« 


'*?.r 


I  *H 


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V   :•'■' 


i    ! 


i;5 


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The  World's  Discoverers 


Cape,  ill  wliicli  no  stop  would  lie  iiiiuli'.  On  IIki  20tli 
of  A[)iil  (J(i(.(l  Ilopt!  was  roiindi'd  without  «lisasti'i',  and 
tlie  wvaiy  sliii)nu'n  tni'iicd  tlu'ir  |)i'ows  stniiglit  for  lionii.'. 
A  sad  incident  marked  the  hist  stage  of  the  voyage. 
Pauh)  da  Ciania  hail  hiiig  been  iU.  lie  lived  to  reach 
the  Azori'S.  There,  almost  Avithin  sight  of  home,  he 
sueeumbed  to  the  hardships  he  had  suffered.  'I'he  loss 
of  this  gentle  brother  so  alllieted  the  hard  Vaseo  that 
lu!  kept  himself  in  retirement  nine  days  before  his  tri- 
um[»hal  entry  into  Lisbon. 

Somewhat  more  than  two  years  had  been  consumed 
in  this  voyage,  the  intluence  of  which  ujjon  all  modern 
life  has  been  so  great.  If  the  fortitude  with  which  its 
privations  were  endured,  had  l)een  equaled  by  Innuanity 
in  dealing  Avith  inferior  and  often  inoffensive  peoples, 
we  could  read  its  story  with  unqualilien  admiration. 
IJut  it  was,  alas!  a  lit  introduction  to  a  course  of  high- 
handed and  ruthless  measures  by  which  Portugal  estab- 
lished her  supremac}^  on  the  coasts  and  Avaters  of  East 
Africa  and  the  Indies. 

lietrihutiou  came  in  due  time.  Little  remains  to 
Portugal  to-day  of  the  vant  Oriental  possessions  which 
she  once  held.  The  wealth  which  she  wrung  from  them 
served  chiefly  to  corrupt  and  enfeeble  her  own  people. 
Then  the  s})oiler  was  spoiled.  The  fabric  reared  by 
violence  and  cemented  with  blood  tottered  to  its  fall, 
and  strong  hands  seized  the  fragments.  Portugal,  to- 
day a  decrepit,  fifth-rate  i)ower,  may  serve  as  a  w^arn- 
ing  to  the  nations  that  crime  surely  reacts  upon  the 
doer,  and  that  the  oidy  foundations  of  an  enduring 
social  order  are  justice  and  humanity. 


ppl 


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li 


Magellan's  Youth  and  Training       1 19 


CIIArTEU  XII 

MAOKLLAN'S   YOUTir    Axn  tuainino 

Aftkii  Vasoo  da  riainii's  voyat,'o,  Portugal's  strides 
in  opouing  tho  l^astcrn  lands  to  European  eonuneree 
were  simply  marvelous.  Within  ten  years  slie  had  ex- 
plored East  Afriea,  had  taken  and  fortified  jjosts  on  the 
Malahar  coast,  and  had  penetrated  Farther  India  as  far 
as  ^Malacca,  the  gate  of  China  and  the  East  Indies. 

Her  successes  in  India  were  not  lightly  won.  Her 
great  viceroys,  Almeida  and  Albucpieniue,  did  not 
encou!iter,  as  did  ('ortez  and  Pizarro  in  the  Western 
World,  |)opulations  ignorant  of  lirearnis  and  overawed  at 
the  mere  sight  of  white  men.  All  the  power  of  the 
East,  with  her  knowledge  and  skill,  was  put  forth  to 
repel  the  invaders  who  had  come  to  usurp  the  trade 
wliich  Arab  merchants  had  held  in  their  exclusive  con- 
trol for  ages.  Even  the  Sultan  of  Egypt  sent  a  fleet 
down  the  lied  Sea  to  fight  the  intruding  Franks.  There 
were  bloody  battles  by  sea  and  land  in  which  the  Por- 
tuguese lost  heavily,  and  desperate  straits  from  which 
nothing  short  of  heroic  courage  could  liave  rescued 
them.  The  story  of  the  Portuguese  conquest  reads 
like  a  romance,  so  full  is  it  of  thrilling  incidents.  In 
this  school  of  adventure  Fernao  Magalhaes  was  trained. 
He  was  born  about  1480,  of  one  of  the  oldest  families 
of   Portugal,  in  a  wild   mountain    region.     lie  served 


■!  ■: 


:    •  ' 

# 

V    '■[■: 

m 

1 

'•'         * 

#yi 

120 


The  World's  Discoverers 


V.  !;  1 


for  sonic  yvixvs  as  a  pngo  at  court.  'I'liis  circuinstaiioo 
Avas  imiiKMiscly  inqxirtaiit  in  its  licai-iiiL"'  on  tlic  l)oy"s 
career.  'V\\".  new  kiniv  was  deeply  interested  and  very 
aoti\G  in  promoting  navigation  and  discovery.  Tiie 
recent  voyage  of  Columbus,  with  its  Ijrilliant  results, 
liad  opened  a  new  era,  and  all  maritime  P^uro[)C  was 
awal<ing    fi-oni    the    letliaigy   of   ages.     Dom    AhinocI, 

full  of  this  new  insj)!- 
ration,  took  up  with 
energy  the  work  whose 
foundations  had  been 
so  well  laid  by  Prince 
Henry  the  Navigator. 
He  it  was  who  sent  out 
Vasco  da  Gama  on  the 
expedition  which  opened 
the  route  to  India. 

In  what  a  fever-heat 
of  excitement  men  must 
have  lived  when  the 
darkncoS  of  ages  was 
rolling  away,  and  our 
planet  was  daily  open- 
ing lands  of  enchantment  to  tlieir  wondering  eyes  I 
How  it  must  have  stirred  the  lilood  of  eager  youth 
like  >,Iagaiiiaes  to  see  the  heroes  of  exploration  go  forth 
on  their  mission,  and  to  hear  tliLUi  report  to  tlieir  master 
the  marvels  they  had  seen,  —  Vasco  da  Gama,  crowned 
with  the  glory  of  his  achievement;  Cabral,  fresh  from 
the  discovery  of  lirazil;  the  Cortereals  sailing  for 
Labrador,    from  which   they  never  returned;  and  the 


AKFONSO  D'ALBUQUERQUE 


Miigelliin's  Youth  and  Training        121 


All)U(|\U'r(iues  leading  a  gicat  aniuula  to  the  Indies' 
There  is  no  doul)t  that  he  reueatetUv  saw  these  w"- 
tiies  and  probably  eonverse^  with  them  as  the^  '"j- 
qiiented  the  court. 

It  would  have  been  a  marvel  had  he  beei'.  content 
with  the  dull  ceremonial  of  couit  life.  Jn  ir)()4  he 
ol)tained  leave  of  absence  from  his  sovereign  and  sailed 
for  India  as  a  volunteer  in  the  great  armada  of  Dom 
Francisco  d'  Almeida. 

For  seven  years  he  served  his  country  loyally  and 
bravely  under  Almeida  and  the  still  more  renownetl 
Albucjuerque.  lie  took  part  in  many  a  bl  ody  fray  by 
sea  and  land.  He  fought  at  the  capture  of  (jloa  and  in 
the  desperate  liattle  which  gave  ^Malacca,  the  key  of  the 
East,  to  Portugal.  Again  and  again  he  was  wounded. 
Other  men  were  making  fortunes  in  the  loot  of  ca})tured 
cities.  One  of  his  friends,  after  a  series  of  romantic 
adventures,  had  established  himself  in  one  of  the 
Moluccas,  and  wrote  him  that  there  was  about  him 
wealtli  beyond  his  utmost  dreams;  for  the  spices  t)f 
those  islands  were  even  more  coveted  than  afold.  15ut 
for  pelf  the  hero  never  cared. 

One  incident  is  worth  relatintj  because  it  shows  the 
character  of  the  man.  Two  Portuguese  vessels,  on  one 
of  whicli  he  was.  had  run  ay-round  in  the  nitrht  on  a 
reef  off  the  Indian  coast  and  had  filled.  The  crews 
were  landed  safely  on  an  islet  near  by.  It  was  resolved 
to  seek  the  mainland,  about  a  hundr<  d  miles  distant,  in 
boats.  Hut  these  were  not  enough  to  carry  all  hands. 
Then  there  arose  a  great  contention  as  to  who  should 
go.     The   ofTicers   and   men  of  rank  insisted  on  their 


ll    { 


: 


M 


I    , 


1  22 


The  World's  Discoverers 


piivilogo.  lint  the  men  protested  tliiit  they  would  not 
let  themselves  he  left  on  a  haiTen  island.  Magulhaes 
solved  the  dil'lieulty  hy  offering  to  stay  with  the  men, 
[)rovided  that  the  oflieers  would  swear  that  they  would 
send  relief  at  the  earliest  possible  opportunity.  This  sat- 
islit'd  the  seamen.  The  oilicers  reached  the  shore,  after 
several  days,  and  bought  a  vessel  which  they  despatched, 
and  whieh  brought  off  the  shipwrecked  crews. 

After  all  his  years  of  faithful  service  he  returned  to 
his  native  land  a  luonzed  and  scarred  veteran,  still  poor 
comparatively,  and  was  coldly  received  by  his  sovereign. 
Once  ipore  he  took  service,  this  time  to  fight  the  Moors 
in  Morocco;  and  again  he  received  a  wound,  fi'oni  the 
elfects  of  which  he  limped  the  rest  of  his  life. 

The  Moors  beaten,  he  returned  to  Portugal  to  clear 
himr?clf  of  a  charge,  the  triviality  of  which  is  evident  in 
the  fact  tliat  those  who  made  it  never  pressed  it.  The 
King  would  not  listen  to  him,  refused  a  trifling  advance 
ill  dignity  which  he  asked,  and  peremjitorily  ordered 
Ilim  back  to  Africa.  A  short  time  after  his  return  to 
Lisbon,  he  encountered  one  Ruy  Faleiro,  an  expert 
astronomer  and  geograiiher.  The  two  had  common 
tastes  and  interests  and  soon  became  intimate.  The 
one  was  e(juij)ped  with  scientific  theories  and  knowl- 
edge; the  olhcr  combined  keen  insight  with  wide  v\\)0- 
rieuce  and  a  character  of  amazing  strength.  Together, 
they  conceived  a  brilliant  scheme  which  they  proposed 
to  the  King.  It  was,  to  take  a  lleet  to  the  Spice  Islands, 
claimed  as  I'oitugnese  ])ossessions,  by  a  soutliwestern 
route;  in  other  words,  to  follow  Columbus's  example  of 
reaching  the  Ea.^t  by  sailing  westward. 


!ii  i 


FERDINAND  MAGELLAN 


^m 


Magellan's  Youth  and  Training       125 

Magalhaes  and  his  friend  met  with  treatment  like 
that  wliich  the  famous  Genoese  had  received  in  Portu- 
gah  They  were  huighed  at  as  crazy  visionaries.  With 
all  her  activity,  Portugal  was  bigoted  to  the  hist  degree. 
She  ridiculed  the  idea  that  there  could  be  any  other 
route  to  the  Moluccas  than  that  which  lay  through  her 
own  hemisphere.  The  American  continent  was  assumed 
to  stretch  an  impassable  barrier  all  the  way  to  the  South 
Pole.  Moreover,  if  there  was  an  opening,  her  interest 
lay  in  keeping  it  unknown,  and  she  would  rather  have 
paid  men  to  conceal  than  to  explore  it.  The  King  of 
Portugal's  later  conduct  shows  his  jealous  fear  of  open- 
ing to  the  world  those  precious  Spice  Islands  which  were 
the  envy  of  Euro})e. 

In  view  of  such  a  rebuff,  who  can  wonder  at  the 
course  which  Magalhaes  took?  He  publicly  renounced 
his  country,  even  changed  his  name  from  its  Portuguese 
to  a  Spanish  form,  Magellan,  and  betook  himself,  with 
his  hopes  and  plans  and  his  friend  Faleiro,  to  the  court 
of  Spain.  Portugal  had  rejected  her  great  opportunity. 
But  no  sooner  did  she  hear  of  Magellan's  offering  his 
services  to  Spain  than  she  was  furious.  He  was  de- 
nounced as  a  renegade  and  traitor.  By  the  King's  order, 
his  coat-of-arms  was  torn  from  the  door  of  his  house. 
His  nej»hew  was  stoned  in  the  streets.  Yet  he  had 
done  nothing  hut  what  we  recognize  as  his  natural  right. 
He  had,  also,  the  example  of  Columbus,  Vespucci,  and 
Cabot,  who  had  made  their  great  discoveries  under  an 
adopted  flag.  But  Dom  Manoel's  fear  that  Magellan 
would  make  to  the  Spanish  king  the  same  proposition 
that  he  had  rejected,  robbed  him  of  all  reason. 


■ 


,  hi 
I  „ 


mmmmmmmm^m 


Wr 


I  26 


The  World's  Discoverers 


'Die  intending  explorer  did  jii8t  as  his  former  master 
dreaded.  He  offered,  first,  to  show  Spain  tlie  shortest 
route  to  the  Spice  Islands,  and,  secondly,  to  prove  that 
they  belonged  to  her. 

'J'he  king,  Charles  the  Fifth,  better  known  as  the  Em- 
[jcror  of  (iermany,  had  just  come  to  the  throne,  at  the 
age  of  eighteen.  He  was  desii'ous  of  preserving  for 
Spain  the  prest'ge  which  she  had  gained  by  Columbus's 
discovery.  The  plan  pr()[)osed  in  this  case  was  in  fact 
the  very  thing  which  the  (Jenoese  navigator  had  in  mind, 
namely,  to  reach  the  East  Indies  by  sailing  westward. 
And,  moreover,  there  was  a  good  })rospect  of  enormous 
prolits,  if  the  venture  should  succeed,  since  it  would 
open  to  Spain  the  door  of  the  far  Eastern  world,  with 
its  \ast  wealth,  and  l)y  a  route  which  would  be  wholly 
her  own. 

Charles  referred  the  matter  to  his  council,  and  tlie  two 
.applicants  formally  presented  their  case.  Magellan 
argued  that  since  Juan  de  Solis  had  coasted  South 
America  as  far  as  the  40th  degree  and  had  found  the 
land  always  trending  westward,  there  was  every  reason 
to  believe  that  it  ended  in  a  capo  corres})onding  to  that 
of  Good  Hope.  He  showed  letters  from  his  friend 
Seriao  telling  of  the  wealth  of  the  iMoluccas,  and  he 
also  displayed  a  globe  which  he  had  brought  with  him 
from  Portuffid,  showing  the  continent  as  he  conceived 
it  to  be  and  his  [)roposcd  route. 

When  he  had  tinished,  Faleiro  took  up  the  argument 
and  proved  to  the  audience  that  the  coveted  islands 
lay  on  Spain's  side  of  the  line  of  demarcation.  This 
view  we    now  know  to  have   been   erroneous.     But  it 


Magellan's  Youth  and  Training       i  27 

might  easily  have  been  liehl  in  all  good  faith.  The 
science  of  navigation  was  in  its  infancy.  The  instru- 
ments for  determining  longitude  were  (^f  the  rudest, 
and  accurate  results  were  impossible.  It  was  oidy  known 
in  a  general  way  that  the  islands  in  question  lay  in  a 
certain  region  of  the  globe.  If  the  130th  degree  of 
longitude  fell  cast  of  them,  they  belonged  to  Portugal ; 
if  west,  to  Spain.  Portugal  had  reached  them  in  the 
course  of  her  eastern  explorations,  was  trading  there, 
and  undoubtedly  believed  them  hers.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  councilors  of  Spain  were  very  ready  to 
believe  that  they  belonged  to  her. 

Happily  for  Magellan,  the  most  influential  member 
of  the  council  was  the  Bishop  of  Burgos,  Fonseca,  who 
had  been  a  bigoted  opponent  of  Cohuubus  and  his 
undertaking.  Now  he  saw  an  opportunity  of  regaining 
his  lost  prestige.  Besides,  the  proposition  appealed 
powerfully  to  his  avarice.  He  became  warmly  inter- 
ested, seconded  Magellan's  proposal  with  enthusiasm, 
and  succeeded  in  carrying  the  council  with  him.  A 
favorable  report  was  made  to  Charles,  which  was 
equivalent  to  a  formal  adoption  of  the  enterprise. 


The  news  of  Magellan's  preliminary  success  was 
immediately  sent  to  Lisbon  by  the  Portuguese  ambas- 
sador and  kindled  the  wrath  of  Dom  Manoel.  Apart 
from  the  formal  division,  there  had  been  a  tacit  under- 
standing that  Spain  should  explore  and  exploit  the 
West,  Portugal  the  East.  Now  Charles  was  about  to 
violate  this  implied  compact.  All  the  resources  of 
diplomacy  were  brought  into  play,  but  to  no  [)urpose. 


III 


a 


128 


The  World's  Discoverers 


|jii+-, 


'riicii  ii  foriiiiil  protest  ui,^aiiist  tlic  voyage  was  sent  to 
C'liiirles.  He  contented  liiniseH'  with  i'ej)lying  that  lie 
liad  no  thought  of  intruding  into  his  royal  brother's 
possessions.  It  hud  indeed  been  specially  stipulated  in 
tlie  agreement  between  Charles  and  the  intending  ex- 
l)lorers  that  the  latter  should  not  encroach  upon  I'ortu- 
guesc  dominions.  Still  tliere  was  no  concealment  of  the 
fact  that  the  objective  point  was  the  Spice  Islands;  and 
Charles's  assurance  did  not  go  far  towards  quieting  Dom 
Ma'-ioel's  api)rehensions. 

All  this  while  the  fleet  was  being  prepared.  Five 
vessels,  old,  small,  and,  at  the  best,  liardly  seaworthy, 
had  been  bought  and  were  being  equipped.  Into  this 
task  ^Magellan  threw  himself  with  all  his  wonied  energy 
and  a  will  which  no  dithculties  could  bend. 

jNIilder  measures  and  public  remonstrance  having 
failed,  Portugal  resorted  to  intrigue.  Her  agent  at 
Seville  constantly  watched  Magellan's  proceedings,  and 
reported  to  his  master  what  he  was  doing  to  thwart 
them.  One  day  Magellan  found  himself  confronted  by 
a  howling  mob  at  the  dock-yard.  They  had  been  incited 
by  a  rumor  industriously  circulated  that  he  had  hoisted 
the  Portuguese  flag  over  one  of  the  vessels.  It  was  his 
own  personal  standard  bearing  his  coat-of-arms.  His 
habitual  coolness  alone  averted  serious  trouble.  Magel- 
lan had,  like  Colundjus,  great  difticulty  in  securing 
crews.  Tie  caused  a  trumpet  to  be  blown  and  the  ex- 
pedition publicly  proclaimed.  lie  sent  oflicers  to  scour 
every  seaport.  And  still  very  few  men  were  obtained. 
It  was  objected  that  the  pay  was  too  small,  in  view  of 
the  extraordinary  hazards  to  be  met.     Therefore  he  was 


Magellan's  Youth  and    Iraliiing         129 

compellod    to   accept   ii   iMinibci'   of    foreigners,   iiinoiig 

whom  were  several  l*ortu<i uese.      In  the  united  crews, 

nuinberinuj  about  two  liundi'ed  and  ei[>lity   men,  there 

were  S[)aniards,   Italians,    French,  Flemings,  (Jermans, 

Greeks,    Portuguese,    Negroes,    and    .Malays.     In    the 

end    the    Portuguese    proved    to    be  the    most    rclial)le 

element  on  the  fleet.     They  held  several  of  the   most 

important  posts,  all  the  [)ilots  being  of  that  nationality. 

This  circumstance  goes  to  show  the  feeble  interest  of 

the  Spanish  people  in  the   expedition  or  their  lack  of 

faith   in  its  success. 

The  curious  read(>r  may  be  interesti3d  to  know  what 

kinds  of  stores  were  cari-ied  on  those  (plaint,  uncouth, 

high-pooped  craft  which  l)ore  the  brave  voyagers  of  the 

sixteenth  century.     The  list  surprises  us  by  its  variety. 

There  were  biscuit,  flour,  beans,  i)eas,  lentils,  olive-oil, 

anchovies,    dried   iish,    dried   pork,  seven  cows,  three 

pigs,  hundreds  of  cheeses,  vinegar,  sugar,  garlic,  onions, 

rice,  mustard,  and  capers.     Dainties  there  were,  too,  in 

tlie  shape  of  raisins,  figs,  currants,  almonds,  and  honey. 

And  there  was  a  good  sup[)ly  of  medicines  and  salves. 

The  entire  cost  of  the  fleet,  equipment,  and  stores  was 

about  !$2."),000  of  our  money,  efpiivalent,    perhaps,    to 

S200,000   at    the  }>resent   day.     There    was   an   ample 

su[)i)ly  of   munitions  of  war,  such  as  arquebuses,  hal- 

bei'ds,  spears,    lances,    bows    and    arrows,    and    armor, 

with  culverins,  or  long  cannon,   to  be    used    on   shij)- 

board,  and  bond)ards,  which  might  be  carried  in  boats, 

like  modern  boat-howitzers.     The  conunercial  jjurpose 

of  the  enterprise  was   shown   by  the   great   supply  of 

goods  for  barter,  such  as   bright-colored   cloths,   brass 

9 


^  if 


iiff 


M 


I    '! 


-ht 


130 


The  World's  Discoverers 


trinkets,  mirrors,  beads,  luid  not  less  than  twenty 
thonsand   l)ells. 

The  vessels  were  the  "Trinidad,"  which  Magellan 
took  for  his  flag-ship,  as  she  was  in  Ine  best  condition; 
the  "San  Antonio,"  the  largest,  commanded  by  Juan 
de  Cartagena,  whom  the  king  had  appointed  to  take 
the  place  belonging  to  Faleiro,  whose  conduct  had  raised 
suspicions  of  insanity;  the  "Victoria,"  captained  by 
Luis  de  Mendoza;  the  "Conccpcion,"  by  Gaspar 
Quesada;  and  the  little  "Santiago,"  by  Joao  Scniio, 
the  only  Portuguese  captain,  and  the  only  one  who 
remained  loyal.  The  largest  vessel  was  of  only  120, 
and  the  smallest  of  75  tons.  This  little  armada,  it  is 
true,  far  exceeded  Columbus's  fleet  in  strength  and 
equipment,  but  it  was  also  destined  to  encounter  a  task 
vastlv  more  difT.cult  and  dangerous  than  his. 

As  the  preparations  neared  completion,  the  enmity  of 
Dom  Manoel  and  his  councilors  knew  no  bounds.  One 
advised  that  Magellan  be  put  out  of  the  way.  This 
was  an  eminent  bishop,  who  afterwards  became  Arch- 
bishop of  Lisbon.  Dom  Manoel  preferred  an  indirect 
course  which  was  well  adapted  to  accomplish  the  same 
end.  His  secret  emissaries  sedulously  cultivated  the 
national  jealousy  of  the  Spanish  captains  and  sowed 
seeds  of  discord  which,  in  time,  yielded  an  ample  hai- 
vest  of  blood. 


Magellan's  Voyage  Begun 


1^1 


CHAPTER  Xiri 


THE   VOVAdE   UECJUN 


IJkfoiik  Stiiling,  a  solemn  service,  at  wliicli  all  tlio 
0 Ulcers  and  crews  were  [)re.sent,  was  held  in  the  Cathe- 
dral of  Seville.  After  High  Mass,  the  banner  of  Si)ain 
was  [)laced  in  Magellan's  hands,  and  he  swore  to  defend 
it  in  every  extremity.  Then,  in  turn,  tije  captains 
swore  allegiance  to  him.  Among  those  who  hound 
themselves  by  this  sacred  pledge  were  some  who  ali'eady 
meditated  mutiny.  On  the  eve  of  sailing,  Magellan 
received  as  a  gift  from  Faleiro  his  manuscript  direc- 
tions for  taking  observations.  In  the  dearth  of  books 
on  that  little-understood  subject,  such  a  volume  was 
•ilmost  priceless.  Magellan's  written  orders  were  that 
he  should  proceed  straight  to  "  the  Spicery."  Though 
he  had  instructions  not  to  intrude  within  Portuguese 
waters,  one  cannot  help  suspecting  that,  had  he  come 
home  with  a  full  freight  of  the  coveted  merchandise,  he 
would  not  have  been  held  to  a  very  strict  account  of 
the  longitude  in  which  he  obtained  it. 

At  hut,  on  the  20th  of  September,  1519,  the  little 
fleet  sailed  from  the  mouth  of  the  Guadalquivir.  It 
ran  down  the  African  coast  as  far  as  the  Cape  Verde 
Islands.  Meanwhile  Dom  Manoel,  having  failed  in 
G\GTy  effort  to  hinder  the  sailing  of  the  fleet,  sent  vesr  Is 
both  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hoi)e  and  to  the  Rio  de  la 


V 


'il 


1!     A  : 


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. 

132 


The  World's  Discoverers 


IMiitii,  with  ii  view  to  intercepting'  it,  wliieliover  roiito  it 
niiylit  take.     IJiiiof  this  (liini;ei'  Miiu'ellaii  knew  nothin<^'. 

Fioni  tli(^  (,'a[ie  Venlus  u  courstj  was  .shaped  for  the 
coast  of  South  Anieii  -a. 

'I'he  (Uniciilties  whieli  niadt;  tlio  exixulition  so  peri- 
h»iis  very  early  hej^an  to  he  i\-\{.  ( !ahiis  and  heavy  rains 
in  the  nciglihorhood  of  the  Liiu^  nia(Ui  [)rogress  so  sh»w 
that  it  was  neeessaiy  to  diminish  the  aUowanee  of  food 
and  water.  At  hist,  on  Novcndjer  29,  the  coast  of 
Brazil  was  sighted. 

^■Vlrcady  the  s[>irit  of  insuhordination  had  shown 
itself.  On  one  occasion  Cartagena  renewed  a  series  of 
insidts  which  he  had  olVcred  to  his  conniiander.  To  his 
sur[)rise,  l;c  was  seized  hy  tho  Captain-general  in  [)erson. 

"  Voii  are  my  [)risoner,"  cried  Magellan.  In  vain  th(! 
offender  a[)[)ealed  to  the  other  olliccrs  for  aid.  Nobody 
stirred,  and  he  was  led  away  to  tlie  stocks,  to  be  kei)t 
a  prisoner  on  board  the  "Victoria."  The  command  of 
his  vessel  was  given  to  Antonio  de  Coca,  whom  the 
Emperor  had  ap[)ointed  to  kee[)  the  accounts  of  the  fleet. 

On  December  Vi\  the  adventurers  were  in  Rio  harbor. 
Here  they  enjoyt'fl  a  welcome  change  from  their  meagre 
sea  fare,  in  an  abundance  of  fruits  and  fresh  meat,  which 
they  obtained  from  the  natives  at  great  bargains  in  the 
way  of  barter.  The  chronicler,  Pigafetta,  an  Italian 
nobleman,  relates  with  great  glee  that  he  exchanged  a 
king  from  a  pack  of  cards  for  six  fowls. 

Kai'ly  in  the  new  year  the  ex})edition  reached  the 
mouth  of  the  great  river  known  to-day  as  the  Uio  de  la 
Plata.  Here  the  explorer  Juan  do  Solis  had  lost  his 
life  at  the  hands  of  cannibals.      IJearing  his  fate  in  mind 


i. 


Magclhurs  Voyage  begun 


3, 


and  s('('in;j^  iiutivcs  uiiillicriiiin'  in  caiKics,  .Mii;L^n'Il;iii  ordered 
out  several  Ixials  lilicd  \\  I'.li  armed  men.  riiereii|M)n  tlu; 
siivay;t'S  lied  a:sliori^  and  outran  the  S[)aniards  who 
iitt('m[)t(.'d  to  overtake  them.  Magellan's  (direful  ox- 
[doration  of  the  river  ended,  tlu!  Ih'ct  sailed  on. 

On  (hey  went,  workini,'  their  way  down  lh«'  coast, 
leaving'  siunmer  and  smooth  seas  hehind  (hem  and  en- 
coiinLerinij:   always   'n-eater    cold   and    more    Itoisteroi 


IS 


weather.  By  the  end  oi"  Fehruary,  when  tho  autunni 
ol'  th(!  southern  hemisphere  was  well  advanced,  they 
experienced  terrific  storms  and  hitter  cold.  At  one 
place  they  found  an  island  so  covered  with  seals  and 
penguins  that  the  whole  fleet  could  hav((  heen  laden 
with  them.  A  boat  was  scut  ashore  for  wood  and  water. 
Neither  wiis  found,  Imt  the  sailoi's  loaded  it  with  [u-n- 
guins.  lioforc  they  could  return  a  furious  gale  sprang 
U[),  and  th(!  men  were  com[)ell(!d  to  six'iid  the  night  on 
the  1  )cky  islet,  without  fire  or  sladter.  In  the  morn- 
ing, wh(!n  their  conn-ades  came  to  their  relief,  they  were 
found  buried  beneath  the  ...als  they  had  killed  and 
lialf-dead  from  cold  and  exposure. 

Storm  after  storm  burst  u[)on  them  as  they  went  fur- 
ther down  the  inhos[)itable  shore  of  Patagonia.  The 
ex[)lorers  supplicated  the  aid  of  the  snjnts  and  vowed  a 
pilgrimage  to  this  or  that  shrine,  and  always  succeeded 
in  extricating  themselves  from  their  peril,  though  the 
ships  were  sadl}-  worsted. 

At  the  end  of  IMarch,  with  winter  at  hand,  they 
dropped  anchor  in  iMrt  St.  Julian,  witli  tlie  [)urpose  of 
wintering  tliere.  Ahis  for  the  hope  of  finding  lest! 
The  phice  was  destined  to  be  the  scene  of  a  crisis  in 


i:| 


•r ... 

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^34 


The  World's  Discoverers 


wliit'li  tlu;  c'X|)(Mliti()n  cimio  nigli  to  an  imtiiiu'ly  end. 
On  rciiciiiiig  the  expected  liaveu  of  rest,  with  ii  long 
winter  I)el"oie  them,  the  crews  had  been  put  on  diniin* 
ished  rations.  The  saik)rs  grumbled,  and  the  jealous 
S[)anish  captains  probably  made  little  effort  to  (juiet 
them.  Mattel's  rapidly  grew  worse.  The  cold  was 
bitter.  Storms  came  almost  daily.  There  were  few  in 
the  fleet  who  believed  in  the  existence  of  a  strait. 
Why  should  they  lemain  in  that  place,  they  argued,  to 
perish  with  cold?  Why  jJcr.'-ri.^L  in  chasing  the  it/nis 
/((tints  of  a  strait,  when  everything  showed  that  the 
land  stretched  without  a  break  to  the  Antarctic  Pole? 
This  foolhardy  enterprise  should  be  abandoned  at  once. 
It  was  absurd  to  seek  tlie  tropical  Spice  Islands  through 
regions  of  ice  and  snow.  They  had  done  enough  to 
satisfy  the  Emperor  that  there  was  not  any  passage  that 
way.  To  go  further  would  be  simply  to  court  destruc- 
tion on  some  icy  shore.  Then  the  Emperor  not  only 
would  get  no  sjiices,  but  wo'ild  lose  his  ships  and  men. 
All  this  was  rei)resei>led  to  Magellan,  together  with  a 
peremi)tory  de'nand  for  full  rations  or  for  an  inunediate 
departure  homeward.  His  reply  was,  for  a  man  of  his 
masterful  spirit,  full  of  conciliation,  but  without  a  sign 
of  yielding.  He  urged  the  certainty  of  a  strait  and  that 
it  could  bo  readied  in  the  spring.  He  appealed  to  the 
Castilian  pride  of  the  Spaniards  and  expresi'.ed  his 
amazement  at  their  showing  such  weakness.  There 
was  no  reason,  he  urged,  for  ai  prehension  as  to  their 
suppPes.  Around  them  in  their  snug  harbor  was  an 
abutid.iJice  of  wood  and  water,  of  birds  and  fish,  besides 
the  ship-stores.      In  short,   since  he    had   no  notion  of 


Magellan's  Voyage  Begun  135 

giving  up  Ukj  iindeitukiug,  lie  counseled  them  to  exer- 
cise pjiiience  until  the  s[ning,  wlu-n  they  would  he 
rewiirded  by  a  inugnidcent  discovery  which  would  bring 
weulth  to  every  man  concerned  in  it. 

For  a  time  the  men  were  (piietetl,  but  the  treachery 
of  the  captains  was  all  the  while  insidiously  at  w(»rk. 
The  inevitable  rupture  i)erhaps  was  precipitated  by  an 
appointment  of  Magellan's.  For  some  reason,  he  re- 
moved Antonio  de  Coca  from  the  command  of  the  "San 
Antonio "'  and  conferred  that  position  on  Alvaro  de 
Mes(piita,  a  (irst  cousin. 

"Another  Portuguese  captain,  and  his  kinsman,  tool  " 
the  Spanish  oHicers  exclaimed.  They  were  furious,  and 
from  that  time  some  outbreak  was  certiun. 

One  night,  (jas[»ar  Quesacla,  ca[)tain  of  the  "Concej)- 
cion,"  with  the  disgraced  Cartagena,  Juan  Sebastian  del 
Cano,  and  thirty  armed  men,  boarded  the  "San  Ante  aio," 
seized  Mcs(piita,  and  put  him  in  iroiis.  A  loyal  Basque, 
Loriiaga,  the  master,  ordered  the  mutinrers  to  leave 
Llie  ship. 

"  What  I  Shall  we  suffer  this  fool  to  balk  u,"?"  cried 
(^uesada  and  himself  stabbed  the  faitliful  oflicer  almost 
to  death. 

The  whole  affair  happened  so  quickly  that  the  sur- 
l>rised  crew  were  overpowered  and  disarmed  before  they 
could  offer  resistance. 

Juan  Sebastian  del  Cano,  wliose  name  will  hereafter 
appear  in  a  more  honoral)le  connection,  was  put  in 
command  of  the  shij).  The  guns  were  mounted,  the 
decks  cleared,  aiid  every  [)reparation  made  for  holding 
her.     For  Masr.'Uan  t'.ic  situation  looked  black.     Three 


f  ^MH; 

1  'yiV. 

?  '^f 


f  ;■  .'J 


it 


'I& 


136 


The  World's  Discoverers 


vessels  wiTe  ill  tlii^  '.laiids  of  i\\v.  imitiiioers.  Yet  so 
(luiekly  lnul  t!!<'ii'  woik  bi-eii  doiio  uii<It'r  cover  of  Jiiglit, 
that  lie  lull  I  no  inkliiij^  of  it  until  the  next  cluy.  lie 
ordcM-ed  Ji  bout  to  go  around  and  ask  of  the  ships  for 
whom  tho}*  declared. 

"  l''or  tlu!  King  and  myself,"  was  the  sullen  re[>ly  from 
each  of  the  three  revolted  vessels.  Only  the  little 
"Santiago"  was  loyal. 

'I'hen  (»)uesada  sent  a  letter  to  Magellan  saying  that  he 
had  seized  the  ships  to  protect  the  ollicers  and  men 
from  the  Captain-general's  ill-treatment,  hnt  if  he  would 
accede  to  their  demands,  they  would  return  to  their 
obedience.  INIagellan  replied  that  he  would  meet  the 
mutineers  on  his  shi[)  and  hear  their  com[)laints.  Hut 
they  would  not  trust  themselves  there.  Still  less 
would  he  put  himself  in  their  power  by  going  to  them. 
Clearly  there  was  no  hope  in  conciliation.  The  nuitiny 
must  be  i)Ut  down  by  the  strong  hand.  l>ut  how?  To 
attack  the  three  revolti'd  vessels  openly,  with  only  the 
aid  of  the  "Santiago,"  would  be  folly. 

A  little  later  a  skilf  rowed  from  the  flagship  carrying 
Ivsjiinosa,  the  provost-marshal  of  the  fleet,  and  live  men 
with  concealed  arms,  to  the  "  Victoi'ia."  Magellan  had 
selected  this  vessel  for  his  attemi)t  liC'Ciiuse  he  knew  the 
large  luunber  of  foreigners  in  her  crew  to  Ik;  loyal  to 
him.  I'.spinosa  delivered  11  letter  sunnnoning  the  cap- 
tain, Mendoza,  to  the  flagship.  The  nuuinous  oflicer 
laughed  a  disdainful  refusal.  In  an  instant  the  provost- 
niarshal  leai)ed  upon  him  and  j.lanted  his  (higger  in  his 
throat.  At  the  sam(»  moment  a  ])icked  boat's  crew 
from  the  "Trinidad,"  headed  by  Magellan's  l)rother-in- 


Magellan's  Voyage  Begun  i  37 

law,  Diiarto  Riirbosa,  swarmed  over  the  "  Vi(;toria's " 
side  and  curried  her  with  a  rush.  In  a  trice  the  ship 
was  won. 

IIow  ([uickly  the  situation  had  been  changed  !  liar- 
liosa  hoisted  MageUan's  ensign  on  tlie  "  Mctoria,"  raised 
the  anchor,  and  [)hiced  iier  ah)ngside  the  "  Trinichid  "' 
and  tlie  "Santiaijfo"  in  the  entrance  of  the  harbor.  Still 
the  mutineers  refused  to  surrender.  Certainly  tl>ey 
would  not  dare  to  (ijxht  aLjainst  such  otlds.  Would 
they  attempt  to  slip  out  under  cover  of  darkness  ?  That 
seemed  their  likeliest  course.  MageUan  had  cleared  his 
ship  for  action.  Now  he  doubled  the  watch,  gave  the 
men  a  l)ountifid  meal,  and  took  every  precaution  to 
<;uard  against  an  escape.  At  midnight  the  "San 
Antonio  ''  loomed  up  ui  the  darkness.  She  was  sup- 
posed to  be  l)earing  down  on  the  llagshi[),  l)ut  was  really 
dragging  her  anchors.  The  mutineer  Quesada,  seeing  a 
collision  innninent,  called  his  men  to  arms.  None  came. 
In  an  instant  a  sheet  of  tlame  leaped  from  the  side  of 
the  "Trinidad,"  and  her  shot  raked  the  deck.  Then 
came  a  rush  of  boarders. 

"For  whom  are  you?"  tlicy  cried. 

"For  the  King  and  Magellan,"  the  men  answered. 
Happily,  not  a  man  had  been  killed.  The  mutinous 
ollic'M's  were  quickly  seized  and  ironed  and  the  impris- 
oned ones  released.  By  this  time  Magellan  had  the 
situation  well  in  liand.  His  indomitable  will  had  mas- 
tered a  crisis  which  to  a  weaker  man  would  have  seemed 
des[)erate.  The  "Concepcion's  "  position  in  revolt  was 
now  hopeless.  Cartagena  surrendered  and  was  placed 
in  irons. 


-   )     > 


Ki  . 


M 


m 


m 


13^ 


The  World's  Discoverers 


The  mutiny  was  over,  but  the  task  of  dealing  witli 
the  leaders  remained.  The  next  day  Menduza's  body 
was  brought  ashore  and  received  tiie  revolting  treat- 
ment connnonly  accorded  to  traitors,  in  being  drawn  and 
quartered.  Quesada  had  added  to  mutiny  the  crime  of 
a  brutal  attempt  at  murder.  He  was  sentenced  to 
death  and  beheaded  by  his  own  servant,  who  was  par- 
doned on  that  condition.  Cartagena  and  a  priest  who 
had  been  active  in  stirring  up  sedition  were  doomed 
to  a  diliferent  fate.  When  the  ships  sailed  away,  they 
were  left  alone,  marooned,  on  that  desolate  spot;  and 
nothing  more  was  ever  heard  of  them.  Forty  men 
who  had  been  found  guilty  of  treason  and  sentenced  to 
death  Magellan  pardoned,  partly,  no  doubt,  because  he 
needed  their  services,  and  still  more,  probably,  because 
he  made  allowance  for  their  having  been  led  in  crime  by 
their  superiors.  From  the  first  the  sympathy  of  the  men 
was  prcponderatingly  with  Magellan.  Otherwise,  he 
would  have  failed  to  overcome  the  mutiny. 

In  the  punishment  meted  out  to  the  offenders  he  was 
strictly  within  his  rights.  A  man's  life  counted  for 
little  in  those  days,  and  the  Emperor  had  expressly 
given  him  power  "of  lope  and  knife  "  over  every  person 
in  the  fleet.  From  this  time  forward  liis  authority  nevei 
was  questioned. 


m 


l\ 


The  Strait  Discovered 


139 


CHAPTER  XIV 


THE  STItAIT   DISCOVEKED 


The  sojourn  at  Port  St.  Julian  was  full  of  work  and 
incident.  While  the  men  were  kei)t  husj  in  careening 
and  calking  the  other  vessels,  the  "Santiago"  was  sent 
southward  to  explore  the  coast. 

She  found  a  considerahle  river,  Avhich  was  named  the 
Kio  de  Santa  Cruz,  and  spent  some  days  there  in  laying 
in  a  supply  of  fish,  which  were  very  ahnndant,  as  weie 
also  seals,  or  sea-wolves,  as  the  sailors  called  them. 
Shortly  after  resuming  her  voyage,  she  encoiuitered  a 
violent  storm,  became  unmanageahle,  owing  to  a  hroken 
rudder,  and  was  driven  ashore.  Scarcely  had  the  crew 
escaped  by  dropping  from  the  end  of  the  jib-hoom,  when 
she  went  to  pieces. 

What  a  situation  for  the  castaways,  thrown  without 
food  or  shelter  on  a  bleak  coast,  in  inclement  weather, 
many  leagues  away  from  their  comrades!  But  Serriio 
showed  his  usual  courage  and  good  judgment.  Carry- 
ing some  planks  which  they  had  rescued  from  the  waves, 
to  make  a  raft  for  crossing  the  mouth  of  the  wide  river 
they  had  passed,  the  forlorn  party  staited  northward. 
IJy  the  time  that  they  reached  tlu;  Kio  de  Santa  Cruz, 
so  exhausted  were  the  n)en  from  exposure  and  want  oi 
nourishment,  tliat  it  was  decided  to  send  forward  two 
of  their  number  to  make  their  uay  to  the  tleet,  while 


.(,.:« 


f.'l 


■■     lit- 


I      ! 


140 


The  World's  Discoverers 


I-    •} 


tlio  rest  sliould  nMrniiii  where  they  were,  snstiiiiiiiijif 
themselves  (tii  lish.  'I'he  two  messeiii^ers  ferried  them- 
selves over  the  hroad  esttiuiy  on  their  litth'  rut't  iind, 
after  eleven  days  of  horrihle  snfferint,',  durinL,^  whieh 
they  lived  S(jmetimes  on  roots  and  leaves,  sometimes  on 
raw  shell-lisli,  reached  the  harlioi',  so  altered  in  ai)[tear- 
ance  liy  their  hardshi[ts  that  they  wvw  scarcely  recog- 
nized by  their  comrades. 

Magellan  promptly  sent  a  relief-party  to  snecor  the 
shi[)\vrecked  mariners.  These,  too,  enco\nitered  lerri- 
hle  privati»)ns,  hnt  arrived  at  their  destination.  Their 
distressed  cunuades  were  l)rou<^ht  over  the  river  in  par- 
lies of  two  or  thi'ee  on  the  little  raft,  and  then  the  home- 
ward march  began.  So  well  had  everything  been 
managed  that,  in  spite  of  the  sufferings  endured,  not  a 
life  had  lieen  lost.  The  "  Santiago's  "  crew  were  dis- 
tributed among  the  other  ships,  and  Serrao  was  given 
conunand  of  the  "Concepeion."  Magellan  was  now  in 
a  stronger  [)osition  than  befoie.  Instead  of  three  dis- 
affected ca[)tains,  be  had  thre((  staunch  I'ortuguese, 
Serrao.  ^b'S([uita,  and  IJarbosa,  in  command. 

Since  leaving  the  liio  de  la  Plata  no  human  being  had 
been  seen.  IJut.  wow  they  had  a  visit  from  a  native 
whose  lofty  stature  surju'ised  them  as  nuich  as  their 
ships  amazed  him.  The  S[)aniai'ds  came  \\[)  to  his 
waist-belt,  says  the  chronicler,  cvidentl}'  using  the 
trav(dei"'s  [)iivilcge  of  drawing  a  long  bow.  They 
conidudi'd  that  they  had  come  U})oii  a  race  of  giants. 

'I'hey  made  a  great  imjjression  on  the  Spaniards  by 
greedily  devouiing,  raw,  the  rats  which  were  caught  on 
shipboard,  and  seemed  wvy  [»roud  of    their  ability  to 


•;    ■■■!■ 


a 

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v. 

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The  Strait  Discovered 


H3 


thrust  an  arrow  far  down  tlie  throat,  after  the  nuinnor 
of  8wor(l-«walh)wt'rs.  An  old  engraving  of  the  passing 
of  tlio  Strait  represents  one  of  them  in  tlie  act  of  per- 
forming this  feat.  Wishing  to  secure  siu-ciniens  of  lliesc 
"giants  "to  take  home  to  his  master,  Magellan  laid  a 
trap  ill  this  fashion.  Two  sturdy  young  fellows  were 
invited  aboard  and  were  loaded  with  gilts.  Wli'ii  their 
hands  were  full,  he  presented  them  with  a  pair  of  irons 
and  obligingly  showed  them  how  they  fitted  on  the  legs. 
In  a  moment  the  poor  creatures  found  themselves  piis- 
oners.  In  their  helpless  rage,  they  called  on  their  great 
god,  Setebos,  for  aid.^  One  of  the  unfortunate  cap- 
tives actually  reached  Spain  in  the  "San  Antonio;  "  the 
other  died  at  sea.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that, 
after  this  act  of  treachery,  the  natives  would  not 
trust  themselves  within  reach  of  the  Spaniards.  When 
the  latter  pursued  a  party  and  tried  to  capture  some 
by  force,  the  savages  stood  their  ground  long  enough 
to  discharge  a  flight  of  arrows,  one  of  which  killed 
a   man. 

For  some  reason,  Magellan  determined  to  resume  his 
voyage.  On  the  24th  of  August,  mid-winter  in  that 
region,  the  fleet  sailed  and  came  to  the  Rio  de  Santa 
Cruz.  Here  two  months  were  spent,  chiefly  in  storing 
wood  on  the  ships  and  securing  and  <lrying  a  sup})ly  of 
fish,  for  the  ship-stores  had  run  alarmingly  low.  When 
sail  was  made  again,  spring  was  at  hand. 

A  few  days  later,  on  the  21st  of  October,  1520,  thir- 
teen months  after  leaving  Spain,  they  came  to  "an  opcn- 

*  Shakespeare's  use  of  this  name  in  "  The  Tempest  "  makes  it  almost- 
certain  that  he  was  acquainted  with  the  story  of  Magellan's  voyage. 


r 
I 


Hi   > 


m. 


^! 


i 


144 


I'hc  \V\)rld's  Discoverers 


iiig  llko  11  iKiy."  I  low  tlic  great  iiiivij^iitor's  lioart  must 
liave  leaped  at  (he  thought  that  this  was  douhtless  the 
Jong-sought  sti'ait.  Much  has  heeii  writleJi  on  thi'  (|Ues- 
tion  whether  Magelhiu  had  any  actual  knowledge  of  tiio 
r'xistcMice  ol'  such  a  passage.  On  tlm  wliole,  it  seems 
fairly  well  estahlished  that  he  had.  it  is  certain  that 
tlu-ri^  weri!  charts,  cs[)ccially  thos(!  ol"  Martin  IWihaim 
and  .Johann  Sehiiiier,  on  which  such  a  passage  was  laid 
down,  on  the;  anthority  of  sonic  of  the  explorers  who, 
early  in  the;  centuiy,  had  followed  the  coast-line  far  to 
the  south.  It  is  a  fair  [iresumption,  too,  that  Magellan, 
to  secure  the  royal  jiatronagc  and  aid  for  his  undertak- 
ing, must  have  prestiuted  aiguments  more  substantial 
than  a  mere  theory  (»f  his  own.  Whatever  knowledge 
existed,  however,  was  vague  and  shadowy,  and  certainly 
nohody  had  yet  penetrate'  the  strait  to  any  distance, 
still  less  traversed  it. 

One  of  the  historians  relates  that  it  was  Magellan 
himself  who  lirst  perceived  the  entrance  of  the  strait; 
that  it  was  near  midnight:  and  that  the  other  captains 
believed  it  to  be  a  mere  indentation  of  the  coast.  J  low 
easily  we  can  picture  the  great  navigator  standing  on 
tlu!  lofty  prow  of  the  " 'J'rinidad,"'  peering,  with  a  beat- 
ing heart,  into  the  gloom!  Were  the  hopes  and  dreams 
of  a  lifetime  abont  to  be  realized,  or  was  he  on  the  eve 
of  a  bitter  disapi)ointment? 

There  was  a  s[)acious  bay,  which  the  vessels  entered. 
Then  the  Admiral  ordered  the  "San  Antonio"  and  the 
"Concepciou"  to  explore  the  seeming  strait  and  return 
within  live  days  aiul  report  what  they  had  observed. 
What  if  they  shoidd  come  back  and  report  that  there 


The  Strait  Discovered 


H5 


10 


:'-F 


'^=-- 


1^6 


The  World's  Discoverers 


!' 


Wiis  lu)  piissiigo  tlicic?  Tluit  siinu!  iiij,Mit  it  furious  sUuiii 
oaiho  oM,  und  tlio  two  veH.sols  in  the  uutniuco  run  out  to 
sea  for  safoty.  At  the  sanu!  tiiuo  thu  two  piourcis 
found  tluMuselves  in  a  perilous  i)liglit.  First  they 
attempted  to  rtijoiu  tiieir  eoinrades,  but  were  unable  to 
weatlier  tbe  ca[)e  wliieli  shut  them  from  the  anehora.i:re. 
Then  they  put  about  and  ran  towards  the  end  of  the  bay, 
ijxpeeting  notliinj^  else  than  eertain  destruetion,  for  there 
seemed  to  im  no  opening.  Suddenly  they  found  them- 
selves rounding  a  [Hjint,  and  a  [)assage  revealed  itself. 
On  they  ran,  mile  after  mile,  thankful  for  their  release 
from  the  jaws  of  death,  until  they  came  out  into  a  broad 
bay.  Still  they  pushed  on  through  a  series  of  narrows 
and  wider  reaches,  until  they  had  satisfied  themselves 
that  the  opening  led  an  innnense  distance  southward. 
Then  they  retraced  their  course.^ 

In  the  mean  time  there  was  consternation  on  the  other 
vessels.  Days  had  passed,  and  there  was  still  no  sign 
of  the  pioneers.  Fear  was  growing  into  certainty  that 
they  had  perished  in  the  storm.  Anxiously  scanning 
the  shore  for  some  sign  of  the  missing  vessels,  Magel- 
lan saw  the  smoke  of  distant  fires.  Undoubtedly,  he 
thought,  these  must  have  been  lighted  by  the  survivors 
of  a  shipwreck.  Then,  when  gloomy  apprehension 
filled  every  mind,  suddenly  the  "San  Antonio"  and  the 

1  It  has  boon  explnincil  to  the  writer  by  an  oM  sea-cnptain,  familiar 
with  thoso  waters,  that  one  peculiarity  of  the  Strait  is  the  immense 
depth.  In  some  parts  tliere  is  no  aneliorafre  at  all,  and  a  vessel  may 
sometimes  liave  to  run  fifty  miles  before  she  can  find  a  spot  where  she 
can  lie  to.  Alto>,'etlier,  with  its  tortuous  passajfes,  its  numerous 
sounds  and  openings  leadin<j  nowhere,  and  its  thickly  sown  islands,  it 
is  one  of  the  most  peri)lexin;r  pieces  of  navii,'ation.  It  is  not  surprising 
that  its  first  explorer  spent  more  than  a  month  in  threading  it. 


!i 


n  Mm 


The  Strait  Discovered 


149 


"Concopcion  '    came  in  si^lit,  under  full  sail  and  gay 
with  bunting,  while  their  bonihards  I i red  a  joyful  salute. 


1 


ht  L^lad 


deed.      For  three  days  th 


ley  nroiignr  giati  news 
had  followed  the  iiilet  without  seeing  any  sign  of  its 
ending.  On  the  contrary,  there  was  always  deej)  watei', 
with  a  strong  current.  It  seemed  almost  certivin  that 
the  v;'ay  to  the  Pacifn   lay  there. 

Now  Magellan  began  for  himself  to  ex[)lore  the  iidet 
with  all  the  vessels.  As  they  pushed  on,  day  after  day, 
through  the  winding  i»assa;j>',  sometimes  narrow,  some- 
times widening  into  broad  bays,  the  conviction  grew 
always  stronger  in  him  that  the  iirst  great  object  of  the 
expedition  had  been  aceom[)lished.  Then  he  took  the 
opinion  of  his  oilii-evs  as  to  [)roseeuting  the  voyage  to 
the  Moluccas,  W'th  but  one  exception,  all  weiv  in 
favor  of  [)usliing  on.  'I'hey  imagined,  now  the  road  was 
almost  certainly  found,  that  the  S[)iee  Islands  nnist  be 
within  easy  reach.  Visions  of  l)almy  trojjical  islands 
rose  before  them,,  and  thev  were  almost  clamorous  for 
[)ushing  the  entci'pi'ise. 

The  one  dissenting  voice  was  that  of  Gomes,  pilot  of 
the  "San  Antonio."  At  the  best,  he  bore  no  good-will 
to  Magellan;  and  the  a[)i)ointment  of  Mes(|uita,  the 
Admii'al's  kinsman,  instead  of  himself,  the  King's  jtih;!, 
to  command  th,  vessel,  had  deejjly  incensed  him.  Now 
he  protested  strongly  ag  "wst  proceeding.  I^nough  had 
been  done,  he  said.  I^et  the  vessels  return  to  Spain 
and  report  the  strait  discovered.  Then  the}'  might  sail 
again  with  a  fi'csh  ('(pii[>n»ent  and  ]»ush  their  way 
through  to  the  Moluccas,  lie  urged  that  these  lay 
fiirther  away  than  many  imagined,  which  was  trui';  and 


■    8 


'II 
If 


H 


150 


The  World's  Discoverers 


if,  oil  the  way  thither,  they  shoiihl  eiieoiuiter  either  l()!>g 
ciihiis  o:  stctrms,  prnhaldy  all  Wdiild  [)eri.sh.  From  this 
it  is  |)liiin  that  \nt  had  a  better  idea  ot  the  siz(^  of  rdir 
^lohe  than  was  coiniuoii.  Seven  years  had  [)assed  since 
Iialhoa  saw  the  Pacific,  but  its  vast  width  was  not 
dreamed  of. 

Maijellan  rejjlied,  making  light  of  his  objections.  lie 
would  push  on,  he  said,  even  though  they  might  be 
diiven  to  such  extremity  as  to  eat  the  leather  on  tne 
shi[)s'  yards.  He  would  not  hear  of  j)Utting  back,  and, 
to  stamp  out  all  (»]>[)osition,  issued  an  order  that  nobody, 
under  pain  of  death,  should  discuss  the  dilliculties  of 
the  task  or  the  scarcity  of  provisions. 

A  few  days  later  a  most  disheartening  thing  Ijefell  the 
vo^-agers.  Magellan  bad  been  compelled  to  grope  his 
way  through  the  strait  by  exploring  its  various  o[)en- 
ings,  sounds,  and  bays,  lie  had  despatclied  the  "San 
Antonio  "  and  the  "('oncep»*ion  "  on  a  mission  of  this 
kind.  After  several  days  the  latter  vessel  returned 
alone.  l!er  consort  had  outsailed  her  and  disap})eared. 
Magellan's  ;iiixiety  was  extreme.  He  instituted  a 
search.  The  '*  V^ictoria ''  even  sailed  back  to  the  veiy 
entrance  of  the  straits:  but  there  was  no  trace  of  the 
missing  vessel.  Then  it  became  certain  that  one  of  two 
things  had  hai)})ened:  either  t]\o  "San  Antonio"  had 
peiislu'd  ^vith  all  hands,  or  she  had  deserted.  Magel- 
lan did  not  live  tt)  niscertain  the  truth  which  the  sur- 
vivor* of  the  expe<lition  learned  on  their  arrival  in  Sj)ain. 
At  the  instigation  (*f  the  treacherous  CJonu's,  a  portion 
<>♦"  the  crew  lunl  nnitinied.  over])ow«-'red  the  rc^st,  stabbed 
ll*'>«|uiia    iiti*\    [)Ut    him    in    irons,    replaced    him  with 


The  Strait  Discovered 


151 


anotlier  captain,  and  made  sail    for  home.     Almost  a 
ytnir  later  tiicy  roaclicd  Seville. 

Tlu'ir  desertion  was  a  terrible  blow  to  the  expedition, 
especially  since  every  ounce  of  food  was  imjiortant.  Tiie 
"San  Antonio"  was  the  largest  vessel  of  the  tleet  and 
carried  a  proportionate    supply  of  stores.      Her    pilot, 


j;     H 


(    'li  '55 


too,  the  traitor    (roines,    was    a    skilled   mariner   and 
ahnost  indispensable. 

Hut  this  disconridi^intjf  loss  was  well-nigh  forgotten  in 
the  excitement  of  anotlu'r  occurrence.  A  boat  sent 
ahead  a  considerable  distance  to  reconnoitre  came  baiik 
with  the  joyful  news  that  they  had  sighted  the  cape 
which  terminated  the  strait  and  had  seen  the  open  s«'a 
beyond,  the  great  Mar  del  Sur.      Imagine  the  joy  of  tlie 


152 


The  World's  Discoverers 


navigators,  after  all  their  bitter  iufferings  s  ;h1  cruel 
anxieties!  Wliile  tiie  ships  lired  salvoes  of  artillery, 
tears  coiirseil  ilowii  the  Iroiized  cheeks  of  the  stern 
cominaiider,    whom    no  peril  could   move. 

Sailing  in  the  deep  gorge  between  higli  sierras  and 
noting  the  smoke  of  numerous  lires  on  the  soutiiern  side 
of  the  straits,  Magellan  called  the  hind  Tierra  (h'l 
Fuego.  On  tlie  28th  of  November,  thirty-eight  days 
from  the  time  of  entering  Uie  straits,  with  t .lor-i 
Hying  and  cannon  roaring,  the  little  fleet  emerged  on 
the  brinid  ocean,  whose  waters  a  European  keel  had 
never  before  cut. 

After  the  storm  and  stress  of  the  "still-vexed"  Atlan- 
tic, well  might  the  great  navigator,  sailing  over  its 
traiKjuil  bosom,  heaving  only  with  a  long  swell,  call  it 
the  Pacific,  the  Peaceful. 


,1 


Plague,  Pestilence,  and  Fj.niine        153 


CIIAPTKU  XV 


I'r.AOrH,     I'KSTII.KNCK,     ANP    FAMINH 

Now  ln'f^iiM  a  voyaj^o  wliicli,  fdi-  lioi'iors  lieroically 
encountered,  stands  almost  without  a  parallel  in  human 
records.  Measure;  the  distanei!  fi-om  the  Straits  of 
Mai^ellan  to  the  Ladrones,  where  the  lleet  lirst  encoun- 
tered inhahited  land.  Vou  will  lind  it  to  he  the 
e(iuivalent  of  sailin*,''  half  around  the  gloh(»!  It  is  a 
fearful  stri!teh  even  to-day  for  sailing'  vessels,  fully 
[)rovisioned,  e(ini{)iied  with  every  seientilic  apitliance, 
and  having;  every  Ica'^iic  of  their  course  chiii'led,  with 
winds  and  cuirents  laid  down.  \\'hat  must  it  have 
heen  for  three  little  craft,  pioil}-  furnished,  gioj)ing 
their  way  hlind  y  over  unknown  seas! 

For  the  lirst  two  Witdcs  the  lleet  held  its  way  north- 
ward, in  ordi  r  to  escape  t!ie  cold.  Tin  n  the  eouise  was 
altered  to  the  northwest.  It  was  one  of  the  fatalities  of 
this  disastrous  voyiiice  teat,  had  Ma^'ellan  taken  a 
nortliwesterly  course  innnediatcly  on  enteiiiii;-  the 
Pacific,  he  would  ha\'e  run  into  some  of  the  nunierous 
island  ji^roiips  of  I'olynesia  and  escaped  the  horrors  of 
famine  and  scurvy  fn>iii  which  his  men  soon  hcujan  to 
perish.  His  actual  course  kept  him  in  the  open  o(can, 
out  of  si^ht  of  the  ^real  islaud-woild.  wlieie  lie  would 
haN'e  found  an  ample  supply  foi-  all  his  nee(|s. 

Now  day  after  day  }»assed,  week  after  week,  and  slill 
no  s]<ru  of  land  liioke  the  awful   monotony  (tf  the  waste 


t 
f  i^ 

I    il 


fl  I 


^54 


The  World's  Discoverers 


t. 


,    I 


\  111. 


of  wiitcMs.  At  hist,  Jiftcr  nearly  two  months'  vSailing,  a 
littU;  woimUmI  islet  was  sighted.  It  proved  to  be  nnin- 
hal)ited.  Pileveu  days  more,  and  another  island  was 
seen.  Like  the  first,  it  contained  no  human  Ixiing,  nor 
water,  nor  fruit.  Shark  Island  they  called  it,  from  the 
numhcr  of  fish  of  that  kind  which  they  saw  near  it. 

It  was  now  early  in  February,  and  the  condition  of 
the  crews  was  pitiable  in  the  extreme.  The  rations 
were  reduecHl  to  the  smallest  limits.  "Such  a  dearth 
of  Ijread  and  water  was  there  that  they  ate  by  ounces, 
and  held  their  noses  as  they  drank  the  water,  for  the 
stench  of  it."  Says  another  account,  "We  ate  biscuit 
that  in  truth  was  biscuit  no  longer,  but  a  jMiwder  full  of 
worms,  and  stinking  by  reason  of  the  rats  that  burrowed 
in  it."  Then  the  wretclied  men  hunted  out  the  rats  and 
greedily  devoured  them.  Tiiose  who  luul  gold  gladl}' 
paid  a  half-due  at  for  one  of  the  vermin.  Even  this 
resource  failed,  and  then  the  starving  men  were  driven 
to  the  very  extremity  which  Magellan  had  once  de- 
clare«l  w«>uld  not  turn  him  back.  They  stripped  off  the 
hide  with  wliich  the  main  yj^i'd  was  cc^'ered  to  prevent 
it  from  ('haling  against  the  rigging,  soakcid,  and  ate  it. 

Si^urvy  in  its  worst  form  broke  out.  Agav;  aiifl 
again  the  mournful  ceremony  of  committing  a  dead  com- 
rade to  thc!  deep  was  gone  through.  Tlie  living  dragged 
Ihemsclves  about  the  decks,  suffering  cruelly  in  their 
limlis.  All  the  whih-  tiie  ti'opical  sun  l)la/.(!d  on  them 
with  pitiless  heat.  And  still  amid  all  the  world  of 
water  there  was  no  sign  of  land. 

At  last  the  Line  was  reached,  the  known  latitude  of 
the  Moluccas.     Hut  Abigellan  thought  it  wiser  to  sliapu 


Plague,  Pestilence,  and  Famine        155 

his  coui-se  to  tho  iiortliwiin],  in  tlu>  liopc,  i)n)l)jil)ly,  of 
rejicliing  sonio  [mrt  of  (^hinu,  wIutc  lie  could  ivlit  iuid 
ruvictual  liis  fleet  us  ho  coiihl  not  in  the  Spice  Ishmds. 
Tims  another  dreadful  month  jjussed.  With  what 
anxiety  the  despairinnr  seamen  gjized  westward,  day  after 
•  lay,  we  can  easily  imagine. 


k 

lii! 


M  )\ : 


tli 


ft  I' 

i';  i' 


•S6 


The  World's  Discoverers 


CHAl'TER  XVI 

DISCOVKIIY    OF    THK    I'lIILIlMMMOS    AND    DEATH    OF 

MAIJKLLAN 

At  last,  on  the  (!th  of  Marcli,  niiiety-oi^lit  days  after 
oiit(!riii<3^  tlu!  I'acilif,  land  was  sighted,  iiilialdted  land.' 
What  <i  blessed  sig'ht  was  that  of  the  pi'aus  that  eamc 
out  to  meet  them  I  They  had  diseovered  the  group 
now  known  as  the  Latlrones,  and  soon  anehoicd  off 
(lUam,  over  which,  as  one  of  the  aecjuisitions  from 
Spain  in  the  war  of  iJSltS,  tlu'  government  of  the  United 
States  has  hoisted  its  Hag. 

They  shortly  had  a  taste  of  the  (piality  of  the  natives. 
iVs  exi)ert  thieves  as  they  were  dexterous  boatmen,  they 
cut  the  skiff's  painter  and  made  ofT  with  her,  swarmed 
over  the  vessels'  sides,  and  stole  everything  they  could 
lay  hands  on.  liefori;  long  it  was  necessary  to  eject 
tiiem.  Then  followed  a  fraeas  so  serious  that  the  Sjian- 
iards  linally  turned  their  aitillery  on  them  and  killed 
several,  bi'fore  the  rest  took  to  flight.  No  wondi'r  that 
tJK'  l^uropeans  called  the  group  the  Ladrones,  llobber 
Islands. 

In  the  mornijig  Magellan  landed  with  a  strong  force, 
burned  the  village,  killed  some  of  the  natives  who 
resisted,  recovered  the  skilT,  and  seized  a  quantity  of 
l»rt)visions. 

Undaunted  l)y  these  drastic  measures,  some  of  the 
natives  coutiiuied  to  hover  about  the  vessels,  nianueuv- 


Discovery  of  the  Philippines  157 

riii<:]f  tlicir  canoes  so  dcxtorously  tliat  tlicy  oxrittMl  tlio 
Spaniards'  wonder  as  they  glided  swiftly  between  the 
slil[)s  going  under  full  sail  and  i\w.  Itoats  towing  astern. 
Some,  eager  for  traHie,  hrougiit  out  canoes  laden  with 
provisions.  How  weleonie  the  fresh  fruits  and  vege- 
tiihles  must  have  been  to  tlu;  poor  fellows  ou  the  Heetl 
I<"or  some,  however,  this  relief  came  too  late.  That 
very  (lay  the  only  Knglishman  died,  and  later  still  others 
sueeumhed  to  the  [)rivations  they  had  endured,  hut  to 
the  majoi'ity  the  fruits  of  the  ilohher  Islands  brought  a 
now  lease  of  life. 

Sailing  on,  the  fleet  saw  land  on  the  10th.  It  was 
almost  an  empire  that  this  discovery  added  to  Spain,  for 
it  was  the  great  ai'chi[»elago  later  called,  in  honor  of 
the  emperor's  son,  the  I*hilip[)ines.  Magellan  took 
possession  of  an  island  that  seemed  uninhabited  an<l  set 
up  tents  for  the  si{dc.  A  day  or  two  latei'  a  passing 
prau  observed  the  lMiroi»eans  and  visited  them  without 
fear.  There  was  an  exchange  of  gifts,  and  friendly 
relations  were  (piickly  established.  Some  s[)iees  shown 
to  the  S[)aniards  made;  them  realize  that  thv'v  were  near 
tlu'  islands  to  reach  which  they  had  (Uidured  so  nuich. 

Soon  the  natives  I'etui'iied  bringing  fruit,  such  as 
cocoa-nuts,  oranges  and  bananas.  Wc  sec  another  s'mU) 
of  Magellan's  character  when  wc  read  (tf  his  visiting  tla; 
sick  every  day  himself  and  with  his  own  hand  giving 
them  cocoa-nut  milk  to  <lrink.  'i'lie  poor  fellows  im- 
proved rapidly  on  the  free  su[)[»ly  of  vegetable  diet. 

After  nine  days  the  Ihn^t  contiiiucil  on  its  way,  touch- 
ing at  several  islands  and  every whei'c  iinding  the  natives 
friendly  and  hospitable.      I'hi'y  won;  many  ornaments  of 


'i  •  ii 


'  11 


!  m 


:;    I 


'1^ 


.58 


The  World's  Discoverers 


gold,  wliicli  iinmsed  the  cupidity  of  the  Spanijirds.  As 
tln'y  Hiiilcd  oil,  uiiiny  thiiij^s  struck  tlio  voyaj^ors  as  very 
curious.  Tlicn^  wen;  the  huj^e  fruit-eat iu;^  hats  of  the 
Malay  Arciiipelaj,'o,  "(lying  foxes"  they  called  them. 
Then  tiiere  were  "certain  hlaek  hirds  as  large  as  fowls, 
which  have  a  long  tail,  and  which  lay  eggs  as  hig  as 
thiise  of  a  goose  and  cover  them  with  sand,  leaving 
them  thus  exposi^d  to  the  sun's  heat,  which  hatches  the 
chicks."  On  tlu  7th  of  April  the  fleet  entered  the  port 
of  Sehu.  Magellan  had  heen  directed  to  it  as  one  of  the 
greatest  centres  of  traffic.  To  imi)ress  the  natives,  he 
ordered  the  shij)s  to  lire  their  hroadsides.  Then  he 
sent  ashore  a  messenger,  to  assure;  them  that  this  was 
done  in  honor  of  their  king  and  in  token  of  good-will. 
This  (ionciliatorv  course  so  emholdened  the  King  of  Schu 
that  he  was  at  the  first  inclined  to  take  an  arrogant 
stand  towards  the  foreigners.  Hut  when  Magellan 
sent  him  word  that  if  he  wished  i)eace  he  could  have 
i)eace,  but  if  he  wished  for  war  he  could  have  war, 
he  altered  his  tone.  Soon  the  friendliest  relations 
were  estahlished  between  the  Captain-general  and  the 
King.  A  formal  treaty  was  made,  and  the  Spaniards 
were  to  have  the  sole  right  of  trading  in  his  Majesty's 
dominions. 

The  king  expressed  his  wish  to  hecome  a  Christian, 
and  prei)arations  were  made  for  eelehrating  his  baptism 
with  fitting  pomp.  A  goodly  array  of  Sj)aniards  in  com- 
plete armor  marched  to  the  j)lacti  where  Magellan  and  his 
royal  friend  sat  on  chairs  covered  with  velvet.  The 
candidates  for  baptism,  the  king  and  a  number  of 
princes  and  nobles,  were  all  clad  in  white.     Magellan 


Discovery  of  the  I^hilippines  159 


had  instructed  him  that  if  lie  woiild  he  a  jjfood  Ciirisliaii, 
lie  must  hum  all  iiis  i(h)ls.  'I'liis  he  promised  to  (hi. 
Then  he  was  l>ai)tized,  taking'  the  name  of  ( 'alios,  in 
honor  of  the  Em{»eror.  TIk;  same  afternoon  tlie  (|Ueen 
and  a  numlMjr  of  hvv  ladies  received  haptism.  Tliiit 
day  no  less  than  eight  hundied  jtersons  were  i-eeeiscd 
into  tlie  chnreh.  It  seemed  as  if  tlu^  jieoph!  of  Stlm 
could  not  (piiekly  enough  iMubraee  the  new  religion,  so 
zealous  were  they.  Within  a  week  all  of  them,  togctlier 
with  many  fr()!n  neighboring  islands,  had  n'eeiv«'d  the 
outward  and  visii)le  sign  of  being  Christians.  It  must 
U;  said,  however,  that  their  works  did  not  tj'ute  iigree 
with  their  faith.  Evidently  they  wished  to  remain  on 
good  terms  with  their  old  gods,  at  the  san\e  time  tliat 
they  SiK'ured  the  assistance  of  the  SjKiniards'  (iod,  for 
they  did  not  burn  their  wooden  i(h)ls,  as  they  had 
promised. 

Magellan  was  much  scandalized  at  learning  this.  lie 
reproved  them  severely.  They  answered  that  they  ke]it 
their  gods  in  order  tliat  these  might  restore  to  health  a 
brother  of  the  prince  who  lay  so  ill  that  he  had  not 
spoken  for  four  days.  Here  was  a  great  o])])ortunity 
for  showing  the  infinite  superiority  of  Christianity  to 
paganism.  Magellan  eagerly  seized  it.  He  assmcd 
the  king  that  if  he  had  true  faith  in  our  Lord,  burned 
his  i(h)ls,  and  caused  the  sick  man  to  be  bai)tizt'(l,  he 
woidd  quickly  recover.  On  this  h'  would  stake  his 
life.  The  king  agreed.  A  procession  marched  with 
great  show  to  the  sick  man's  house,  where  he  was  found 
unable  to  speak  or  move.  lie  was  baptized,  and  lo! 
instantly  he  was  able  to  speak.     Five  days  later  he  rose 


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from  liis  Ijed,  burned  an  idol  that  he  had  in  his  house, 
and  caused  several  temples  to  be  destro}'ed.  This 
marvelous  cure  inspired  the  natives  with  zeal  for  the 
new  religion.  They  could  not  destroy  their  idols  fast 
enough,  and  range  themselves  under  the  strangers' 
(Jod.  The  Si)aniards  were  now  riding  on  the  top  of 
tlie  wave  of  p<ipularity.  They  were  soon  to  experience 
a  sudden  and  disastrous  ebb. 

A  certain  rajah,  Silapulapu,  of  the  neighboring  little 
island  of  Mactan,  resisted  the  authority  of  the  King  of 
Sebu.  ]\Iagellan  promptly  undertook  to  chastise  him 
and  teach  him  his  duty.  In  vain  the  veteran  Serrao 
tried  to  dissuade  his  leader  from  what  seemed  a  need- 
less risk,  in  view  of  the  greatly  reduced  numljer  of  their 
men.  The  weak  point  of  Magellan's  character  was  his 
overweening  confidence  in  his  own  judgment.  Com- 
bined with  his  inflexible  will,  it  made  it  impossible  to 
dissuade  him  from  a  purpose  once  formed.  Now  lie  was 
filled,  besides,  with  the  glov,  of  Christian  zeal.  He 
longed  to  bring  the  whole  archipelago  by  one  brilliant 
conquest  under  the  authority  of  S])ain  and  into  the  bosom 
of  the  Catholic  Chur^'h.  When  his  officers  found  that 
they  could  not  prevail  upon  him  to  abandon  the  meddle- 
some enterprise,  they  pleaded  with  him  not  to  go  in 
person.  They  had  as  wtII  argued  with  the  winds.  The 
scent  of  danger  was  to  him  as  the  blast  of  a  trumpet  to 
a  war-horse. 

On  tlie  20th  of  April,  at  midnight,  a  little  band  of 
sixty  Spaniards,  with  about  a  thousand  natives  in  war- 
canoes,  embarked  for  IMactan,  only  a  few  miles  away. 
When  daylight  came,  the  King  of  Sebu  begged  to  be 


Ll^ 


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'•1. 


Discovery  of  the  Philippines  163 


allowed  to  lead  the  assault.  Magellan  would  not  hear 
of  it.  Wh.it  could  any  nuniher  of  naked  savages  do 
against  sixty  Europeans  clad  in  steel  armor  and  carrying 
firearms?  Let  his  friend,  the  king,  remain  with  his  men 
in  their  canoes  and  see  how  easily  the  S[)aniards  would 
rout  their  enemies. 

Owing  to  a  coral  reef,  the  hoats  could  not  come  within 
a  long  distance  of  the  shore,  and  it  was  necessary  to 
leave  a  numher  of  men  to  guard  them  and  to  serve  the 
bombards.  Only  forty-eight  men  landed  ^  'th  Magellan 
and  waded  a  distance  of  two  crossbow-shots  to  the  beach. 
Immediately  they  encountered  a  fierce  resistance.  A 
swarm  of  natives  opposed  their  advance  and,  so  soon  as 
they  moved  forward,  envelojied  their  flanks,  pouring  in 
showers  of  stones,  spears,  and  arrows.  Moreover,  the 
scattered  huts  of  the  village,  surrounded  by  trees  and 
gardens,  and  the  uncultivated  ground  covered  with 
thick  brush,  favored  the  defence.  The  Europeans  kept 
up  firing,  but  to  very  little  purpose,  and  the  enemy  grew 
bolder.  Magellan  had  ordered  a  party  to  set  fire  to 
some  cabins  that  sheltered  them.  The  wind  blew  sparks 
upon  other  cabins,  and  soon  twenty  or  thirty  were  blaz- 
ing. The  s^ght  of  their  property  burning  infuriated  the 
natives.  They  made  a  rush,  cut  off  the  incendiary 
party,  and  killed  two  of  them. 

Things  had  become  critical.  Magellan  had  hicn 
wounded  in  the  leg  by  an  arrow.  He  ordered  a  retreat. 
The  day  might  yet  have  been  saved,  in  a  measure,  had 
the  Spaniards  fallen  back  in  good  order.  But,  accus- 
tomed to  easy  victories,  they  broke  in  a  disgraceful  panic 
before   the   swarms    of  savages  yelling  and  showering 


^ 


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164 


The  World's  Discoverers 


?a 


spears  and  arrows.  Only  six  or  eight  remained  around 
their  gallant  leader. 

The  enemy  lecognized  Magellan's  rank  and  directed 
their  attacks  especially  against  him.  Twice  he  lost  his 
helmet.  Then  he  received  a  spear  wound  in  the  right 
arm.  Then  an  Indian  wounded  him  in  the  face. 
Magelhm  replied  by  plunging  his  spear  into  the  man's 
breast.  He  left  it  there  and  sought  to  use  his  sword. 
As  he  was  in  the  act  of  drawing  it,  hampered  by  his 
wounded  arm,  the  enemy  crowded  around  and  thrust  at 
him  from  every  side.  A  blow  from  a  terzado,  some- 
thing like  a  large  scimitar,  caused  him  to  fall  forward 
on  his  face.  Then  the  enemy  threw  themselves  upon 
him  furiously  and  ran  him  through  with  iron-pointed 
bamboo  spears. 

So  fell  the  great  leader  in  a  miserable  fight  with 
savages,  a  victim  of  his  own  obstinacy  and  reckless  dar- 
ing. The  King  of  Sebu,  on  hearing  the  sad  news,  burst 
into  tears,  while  the  little  flotilla  mournfully  retraced 
its  way,  the  more  stricken  with  grief  and  shame  because 
of  leaving  its  commander's  body  in  the  hands  of  the 
enemy.  The  next  day  an  envoy  was  sent  to  offer  any 
price  that  might  be  demanded  for  the  precious  remains. 
But  Silapulapu  returned  word  that  on  no  consideration 
would  he  part  with  a  trophy  which  his  people  would 
l)rize  above  every  other.  Thus  it  comes  that  while  the 
bones  of  Columbus  have  been  honored  in  two  hemi- 
spheres, to  this  day  no  man  knows  where  lies  the  dust 
of  his  great  rival  for  fame,  the  first  circumnavigator. 

Not  a  rival,  but  a  superior,  some  maintain.  In  sup- 
port of  this  view,  they  remind  us  that  he  crossed  an 


Discovery  of  the  Philippines  165 

oeean  far  vustcH",  0110  011  wliosc  waters  110  lMiro[)ean  sliip 
had  ever  floated;  that  whereas  Columbus  nuulo  hind  on 
the  thirty-sixth  day  after  leaving  the  Canaries,  Magellan 
did  not  reach  the  Pacific  until  more  than  a  year  after 
he  sailed,  and  that  he  struggled  on  his  chartless  way 
across  the  ocean  no  less  than  three  months  and  eighteen 
days;  that  he  accomplished  his  stupendous  undertaking 
in  the  face  of  incomparably  greater  dilliculties;  and, 
most  of  all,  that  whereas  C'ohnnbus  achieved  fame  by 
a  hai)py  mistake,  Magellan  had  in  his  mind  a  clear  pur- 
pose, from  executing  which  no  obstacles  could  cause  him 
to  swerve.  From  Seville  to  the  Philippines  all  was 
planned.  We  do  not  wonder  that  some  careful  critics 
have  assigned  his  place  in  the  temple  of  Fame  as  that  of 
"the  greatest  of  ancient  and  modern  navigators." 


« His 


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i66 


The  World's  Discoverers 


ii!  ■..< 


CHAPTER  XVII 

THE   CritCUMNAVKJATION   COMPLETED 

Atteu  Miigelliiirs  death,  Barbosa  and  Semo  were 
chosen  to  the  command.  lUit  the  expedition  soon  lost 
the  aid  of  their  wisdom  and  experience,  under  tragic 
circumstances.  The  King  of  Sebu  invited  the  officers 
of  the  fleet,  with  all  who  could  be  spared,  to  come 
ashore  to  a  feast.  Serrao  had  suspicions  of  treachery 
and  hesitated  to  go;  but  Harbosa  rallied  him  into  going. 
Along  with  them  went  a  considerable  number  of  the 
most  important  men  of  the  fleet. 

Two  of  the  party,  —  Espinosa,  the  alguazil,  and  Car- 
valho,  the  pilot,  —  seeing  one  of  their  comrades  led  off 
alone  in  a  suspicious  manner,  instantly  turned  back. 
They  were  the  only  ones  who  escaped  with  their  lives. 
They  had  scarcely  reached  the  ships  and  told  their 
story,  when  a  great  disturbance  was  heard  on  shore. 
At  a  given  signal,  the  natives  had  fallen  on  their  guests 
with  spears  and  daggers.  The  Spaniards  made  a  des- 
perate but  vain  resistance,  overpowered  as  they  weie  by 
a  multitude.  The  ablest  men  of  the  fleet  perished  there. 
In  the  meantime  Carvalho  had  approached  the  shore 
with  the  ships  and  was  pouring  broadsides  into  the  vil- 
lage. Then  a  most  pitiable  spectacle  was  seen.  Serrao 
was  dragged  to  the  water's  edge,  bound  and  bleeding 
from  many  wounds.     The  natives  wished  to  barter  his 


Circumnavigation  Completed         167 

life  for  cannon  and  niorcliandisc.  He  shouted  to  his 
comrades  tlie  terrihlu  story  of  the  massacre  and  iniph)red 
thcin  to  cease  liring,  lest  he,  too,  slioiild  he  murdered. 
No  siyn  of  help  was  made  on  the  tleet.  Again  Serriio 
shouted,  imploring  his  comrades,  hy  every  tie  of  hrother- 
hood  and  humanity,  not  to  desert  him  in  his  extremity, 
but  to  send  a  boat  to  his  relief.     In  vain!    When  he  saw 


^WW-'^^mw^fiS/''  ^^;:,4^' .;!ri'^: 


A   SCENE  IN  SEBU 
(From  Gu'llemard'a  Life  of  Magellan) 

the  ships  making  sail,  he  solemnly  cursed  Carvalho  and 
prayed  that  God  would  require  of  him  an  account  for 
his  treachery  at  the  last  great  day.  The  heartless  Car- 
valho, hitherto  Serrao's  bosom  friend,  eager  to  obtain 
the  command  which  the  other's  death  would  vacate, 
sailed  away,  leaving  the  wretched  man  to  his  doom. 
Already  Magellan's  other  chief  reliance,  his  brother-in- 
law  Barbosa,  had  perished. 


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The  World's  Discoverers 


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As  llio  vessels  stood  out  Iroiii  the  shore,  a  piirty  was 
seen  tearing  (h)\vii  the  cross  that  liad  been  reared  near 
the  chnreh.  Thus  coUapsed  the  fabric  of  Christianity 
in  the  lMiilip[)ines,  that  (b'eani  so  dear  to  Afaf^eUan.  It 
had  grown  n[)  in  a  night,  and  in  an  hour  it  I'eU. 

'IMie  vessels  were  now  so  short-handed,  and  the  *'Con- 
oe[»cion  "  was  no  leaky  and  unserviceable,  that  it  was  re- 
solved to  destroy  her.  After  transferring  the  best  of 
her  stores,  she  was  burned.  Thus  there  remained  but 
two  of  the  original  five  vessels;  of  the  two  hundred  and 
seventy  men  who  had  left  Seville,  but  one  hundred  and 
fifteen. 

The  "  Trinidad  "  and  "  Victoria  "  now  coasted  the  great 
island  of  Mindanao;  at  Palawan  got  a  supply  of  pigs, 
goats,  poultry,  fruits,  and  rice,  of  which  they  were  in 
sore  need,  and  then  ''eaded  for  Borneo.  Following 
some    junks    up   th  i-y  difficult   channel,   they  cast 

anchor  in  the  harl-.-'  of  Brunei.  A  most  unique  city 
they  found  this,  as  it  is  to-day;  namely,  a  vast  collection 
of  houses  built  wholly  on  piles  in  the  water. 

Their  experience  at  Sebu  made  the  voyagers  very 
wary.  Accordingly,  when  five  of  their  number,  who 
had  gone  on  shore  to  get  wax  for  calking,  were  de- 
tained by  the  Sultan,  they  scented  danger.  Then,  see- 
ing some  two  hundred  praus  advancing  towards  them, 
they  did  not  wait  longer,  but  promi)tly  opened  fire,  cap- 
turing one  junk  and  driving  others  ashore,  while  the 
praus  retired  precipitately. 

Sailing  away,  they  beached  their  vessels  in  a  bay, 
where  they  spent  six  weeks  in  overhauling  and  calking 
them,  in  preparation  for  continuing  their  voyage.     Here 


%:  r. 


Circumnavigation  Completed  169 


Ire 


Carviillio  was  rciiiovcd,  and  .liiaii  Scbiistiiiii  del  ('aiio 
b('(!iiiiiL'  captain  (if  the  "  Victniia."  His  skill  as  a  iiavi- 
^iiinv  recominoiidcd  him  for  llui  ap[)uiiitnu'iit  and  was 
lirovetl  by  his  suecH'ssful  completion  of  the  voyage. 
Tho  expedition  seems  by  this  tinu^  to  have  Ijccome  little 
better  than  [)iratieal.  J'^very  vessel  that  they  met  thi-y 
[)lundered.  If  there  was  rcsLitaiice,  their  artillery  soon 
overcame  it. 

At  last,  on  November  0,  they  sighted  the  Moluccas. 
They  thanked  CJod  and  (ired  a  grand  salute.  'l"he  goal 
of  their  voyage  of  twenty -seven  months  had  been  reached 
at  last.  Two  days  later  the}'  cast  anchor  close  to  the 
shoi'c  of  Tidor  and  discharged  their  broadsides  as  a 
salute  to  the  king.  The  latter  greeted  them  with  great 
hospitality,  and  the  Spaniards  in  turn,  anxious  to  make 
treaties  with  him  and  to  load  their  vessels  as  (piiekly  as 
possible,  fairly  overwhelmed  him  with  gifts.  'I'hey 
at  once  asked  for  Magellan's  friend,  Serriio.  They  found 
that  he  had  been  dead  some  months. 

Everything  went  smoothly,  and  a  treaty  was  (juickly 
made  by  which  the  sovereignty  of  the  Spanish  King  was 
recognized.  Trading  for  spices  soon  became  brisk. 
The  Sultan  of  Tidor  bestirred  iiimself  in  procuring  a 
large  supply,  and  the  natives  thronged  from  neighbor- 
ing islands  with  their  canoes  laden,  eager  for  barter. 
To  understand  the  jo}'  of  the  Spaniards  when  they  began 
to  take  in  their  cargo,  which  they  showed  by  firing  off 
their  cannon,  we  must  remember  tho  tei'ril)le  sacrifices 
they  had  made,  and  that  they  understood  this  occasion 
to  mean  their  participation  in  the  most  lucrative  tralfic 
in  the  world,  one  which  hitherto  had  belonged  exclu- 


t 

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la- 


170 


The  World's  Discoverers 


IB    Ih 


sively  to  Portugiil.  Tliey  learned  tliat  so  great  had  been 
Doni  iManoel's  desire  to  shut  tlicni  oat  from  it,  that  he 
liiid  sent  orders  to  liis  vieeroy  in  India  to  despatch  a 
lleet  to  the  Molueeas  against  them. 

All  about  them  the  feeling  of  the  people  was  friendly. 
Several  kings  or  rajahs  made  treaties  placing  them- 
selves under  the  emperor's  protection.  The  Spaniards 
(^arelidly  suppressed  any  knowledge  of  the  connnercial 
value  of  the  conunodities  they  were  purchasing.  For 
a  few  yards  of  ribbon  they  bought  hundreds  of  pounds 
of  spices.  By  the  articles  of  agreement  every  sailor 
had  the  right  of  carrying  a  specified  weight  of  croods  on 
shipl)oard.  The  people  came  trooping  with  their  wares. 
Prices  fell  to  almost  nothing.  Everybody  was  eager 
to  avail  himself  of  this  glut  in  the  market.  When  a 
sailor  had  no  more  merchandise  to  barter,  he  traded  the 
very  clothes  off  his  back. 

IJy  the  middle  of  December  the  vessels  were  ready 
for  sea.  Much  as  the  storm-tossed  mariners  longed  for 
home,  they  were  loath  to  leave  the  Moluccas,  where  they 
had  met  with  so  warm  a  welcome  and  found  so  much 
wealth.  The  peacefulness  of  the  inhabitants  and  the 
ease  of  life  in  those  balmy  islands  had  made  a  deep  im- 
pression on  them.  Neighboring  rajahs  had  assembled 
to  bid  them  farewell,  and  the  Sultan  of  Tidor  especially 
was  inconsolable.  He  begged  them  to  return  as  soon  as 
possible  and  meanwhile  to  give  him  some  artillery,  that 
he  might  be  better  able  to  defend  himself.  They  gave 
him  some  swivel-guns  and  four  barrels  of  powder. 

But  when  the  hour  for  sailing  came,  the  "Trinidad" 
was  found  to  be  leaking  dangerously.     In  vain  every 


Circumnav  Igation  Completed 


171 


effort  Wiis  uiii(l((  to  locutu  the  leak.  ICxpiTt  iiativi' 
(livtTS  cxploiiMl  llio  bottom  with  tlu'ir  loiin-  hair  h)ost', 
so  that  thti  iiu'iisli  of  the;  water  niiyht  s\\i'('|)  it  towards 
tho  crevicL'.  Still  the  leak  could  not  he  found.  Then 
it  was  decided  that  the  "Victoria  "  should  take  udvan- 
tai^e  of  the  east  monsoon  and  sail  for  S[)ain  without 
di'lay,  while  the  ''Trinidad"  should  discharj^'e  her  carj^'o, 
be  thoroughly  overhauled  and  refitted,  and  should  then, 
when  the  west  monsoon  set  in,  sail  for  Panama.  With 
mutual  salutes,  the  two  ships  parted  comi)any,  never  to 
meet  again. 

The  "Ti'inidad's  "  remaining  career  was  brief.  After 
being  ovei'hauled,  she  ])ut  to  sea,  sailed  far  out  into  the 
Pacilic,  lost  many  men  by  sickness  and  hunger,  and  one 
of  her  masts  in  a  storm.  She  [)Ut  l)ack  ami  was  seizeil 
by  the  Portuguese.  A  typhoon  struck  her,  and  she  went 
ashore  and  broke  up.  So  [jcrished  the  flagship  which 
had  borne  Magellan.  When  her  end  came,  she  had  on 
board  but  nineteen  of  the  fifty-four  men  who  had  sailed 
in  her  but  six  months  previously. 

When  the  Portuguese  olTicial.^  felt  that  they  nuist  start 
the  survivors  on  their  homeward  voyage,  they  made  it 
as  long  and  hard  and  perilous  as  possible.  They  were 
imprisoned  at  one  place  and  another,  ill-treated  every- 
where. Vasco  da  Gama,  then  Viceroy  at  Cochim,  de- 
tained them  in  prison  until  he  died.  His  successor,  a 
more  merciful  man,  gave  them  their  freedom.  Mean- 
while some  had  perished  at  sea,  and  others  had  died  of 
pestilence  or  from  the  miseries  of  prison-life.  At  last, 
three  years  after  the  wreck  of  the  "Trinidad,"  four 
men,  the  only  ones  living  of  the  fifty-four  who  sailed 


'  n 


^  ^-m 


m 


Jm^^ 


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172 


The  World's  Discoverers 


on  her  lust  voyikge,  reached  Seville.  One  of  them  was 
Kspiiiosa.  Charles  received  him  very  kindly  and  gave 
him  a  pension.  But  the  officials  of  the  India  House 
actually  docked  him  of  his  pay  during  the  time  that  he 
was  a  prisoner  in  the  hands  of  the  Portuguese.  Could 
meanness  go  further? 

Let  us  return  to  the  "Victoria,"  the  last  of  Magel- 
lan's little  fleet.  On  the  21st  ol  Decemher  she  started 
on  her  houievvard  voyage  with  a  crew  of  sixty  men,  of 
whom  forty-seven  were  Europeans.  On  the  8th  of 
January  she  passed  the  great  barrier  of  islands  which 
stretches  from  Timor  to  Sumatra,  probably  through 
Flores  Strait.  A  gale  was  driving  her  eastward,  in 
just  the  o})posite  direction  to  her  true  course.  But  she 
ran  before  it  until  she  reached  Ombay,  where  she  found 
safe  anchorage. 

Towards  the  end  of  January  the  large  island  of  Timor 
was  made.  Being  short  of  provisions,  Del  Cano  fol- 
lowed his  usual  summary  procedure.  He  seized  a  chief 
who  was  on  a  friendly  visit  and  compelled  him  to  pay  a 
ransom  in  live-stock.  Afterwards,  however,  he  gave 
him  an  equivalent  in  merchandise  and  sent  him  away 
satisfied.  On  the  13th  of  February  he  shaped  his 
course  southwesterly  across  the  Indian  Ocean  for  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope. 

No  land  was  made  for  several  weeks.  By  the  early 
part  of  April  the  battered  old  hull  was  leaking  badly, 
and  the  crew  were  suffering  fearfully.  The  ship  lay  to 
and  underwent  repairs,  but  there  was  not  any  relief  at 
hand  for  the  distress  of  the  men.  The  change  from 
tropical  heat  to  a  colder  latitude  found  them  unprovided 


lis 
the 


Circumnavigation  Completed         173 

with  suitable  clothing.  This,  with  the  lack  of  proper 
food,  for  their  meat  had  become  putrid  and  they  were 
reduced  to  rice  alone,  told  fearfully  on  tliem.  They 
were  sick  in  appalling  numbers  and  became  so  enfee- 
bled that  it  was  seriously  debated  whether  they  should 
not  run  for  Mozambique,  where  the  Portuguese  had 
settlements.  IJut  i)ride  and  ambition  prevailed,  and 
they  resolved  against  a  step  which  would  have  been 
equivalent  to  a  surrender. 

The  middle  of  April  found  them  battling  with  cold 
and  heavy  seas  between  the  40th  and  41st  degrees  of 
latitude. 

The  dreaded  ordeal  of  rounding  the  "  Stormy  Cape  " 
of  Bartholomew  Diaz  was  still  before  them.  At  last  it 
was  accomi)lished,  but  with  considerable  damage  to  the 
rigging.  Once  more  they  stopped  for  repairs  and  then 
struggled  on. 

Their  condition  was  pitiful,  wasted  as  they  were  by 
starvation  and  racked  with  scurvy.  The  solemn  com- 
mittal of  a  dead  brother  to  the  deep  was  mournfully 
frequent.  Of  the  thirteen  natives  but  four  remained 
alive.  The  historian,  with  characteristic  superstition, 
writes:  "We  noticed  a  curious  thing  in  throwing  the 
bodifts  overboard.  The  Christians  remained  with  the 
face  turned  up  to  heaven;  the  Indians  with  the  face 
downwards." 

NoAV  came  some  mitigation  of  their  sufferings,  as  they 
were  running  into  a  milder  temperature.  On  the  8th  of 
June  they  crossed  the  line,  and  on  the  1st  of  July  they 
debated  whether  or  not  they  should  touch  at  the  Cape 
Verdes.     It  would  be  a  perilous  thing  to  do,  for  it  meant 


t 


•i^ 


174 


The  World's  Discoverers 


i;         ' 


danger  of  seizure  by  the  Portuguese.  But  dire  necessity 
left  them  no  choice.  Before  entering  the  port  of  San- 
tiago, it  was  agreed  that  tliose  who  went  ashore  shoukl 
pretend  that  they  were  returning  from  America  and 
had  Ijeen  dehiyed  by  the  loss  of  their  foretopmast,  until 
they  had  run  short  of  provisions.  The  device  workwl 
admirj)l)ly,  and  the  unsuspecting  Portuguese  supplied 
them  with  food.  But  a  day  or  two  later  came  a  dis- 
agreeable surprise.  A  boat  sent  ashore  for  rice  did  not 
return.  The  vessel  waited  until  the  next  day  in  vain 
and  then  stood  in  towards  the  port.  Instead  of  their 
own  boat,  out  came  one  filled  with  Portuguese  officers, 
who  ordered  them  to  surrender.  Either  the  bragging  of 
a  sailor  at  a  wine-shop  or  his  attempting  to  sell  some 
cloves  had  betrayed  the  secret.  Del  Cano  tried  to  make 
terms  for  the  return  of  his  boat  and  men ;  but  when  he 
saw  some  caravels  preparing  to  come  out,  he  clapped  on 
all  sail  and  hastened  away,  leaving  his  men  in  the  hands 
of  the  Portuguese. 

Now  there  remained  but  eighteen  Europeans  and  four 
natives,  and  of  them  nearly  all  were  on  the  sick-list. 
It  was  hard  to  work  the  ship,  so  short-handed  were 
they.  But  soon  the  welcome  shore  of  Spain  hove  in 
sight,  and  on  the  Cth  of  September,  only  twelve  days 
less  than  three  years  from  the  date  of  their  departure, 
they  reached  Seville.  The  battered  little  "Victoria" 
and  her  skeleton  of  a  crew  had  sailed  around  the 
globe  and  added  another  to  the  list  of  the  world's 
great  achievements. 

Imagine  the  scene,  if  you  can,  —  the  roaring  of  the 
artillery  firing  a  joyful  salute ;  the  news  spreading  like 


Circumnavigation  Completed         175 

wildfire  through  the  town;  the  eager  folk  running  to 
the  quay,  to  see  with  their  own  eyes  the  wonderful  ves- 
sel; the  huzzahs  of  the  excited 
crowd;  and  the  breathless  in- 
quiries for  some  who  would 
nevermore  come. 

One  thing  the  crew  could 
not  account  for:  by  their  reckon- 
ing it  was  September  6,  while 
everybody  in  Seville  declared  it 
to  be  the  7th.  What  had  Ixicome 
of  the  missing  day  ?  Then  a 
famous  astronomer  exi)lained  to 
them  that  it  could  not  be  other- 
wise, since  they  had  sailea 
around  the  world  foUow.ng 
the  sun. 

The  thirteen  men  left  at  the 
Cape  Verde  Islands  were  shortly 
released  and  sent  to  Lisbon, 
whence  they  came  to  Spain. 
There  they  joined  their  old  com- 
rades, and  all  were  presented  to 
the  Emperor.    Chailes  could  not 

do  too  much  to  testify  his  joy  at  the  successful  issue 
of  the  voyage,  the  fame  of  which  quickly  spread 
throughout   Europe. 

It  seemed  the  very  irony  of  fate  that  Del  Cano,  once 
a  mutineeer,  received  the  honors  that  Magellan  had  so 
dearly  earned.  So  it  doubtless  will  be  to  the  end  of 
time.     The  successful  are  crowned;  and  the  statue  of 


STATUE  OF  SKBASTIAN 
DEL  CANO 


I 


t, 


i     !l 


M 


176 


The  World's  Discoverers 


Del  Ciino,  re[)ivseiitiiig  liiin  stiUuliiiLj  with  a  <4l()l)e  Lcliiiul 
liiiu  ami  a  c()iH[)as.s  at  his  feet,  may  be  taken  as  an  illus- 
tration of  this  [)i'inciple.  Meanwhile  the  great  leader's 
bones  lay  in  some  unknown  spot  on  a  distant  islet. 
His  little  boy  was  dead.  His  wife,  heart-broken,  had 
died  too.     Thus  there  was  none  to  inherit  his  fame. 

Poor  Mesquita,  the  indiap[)y  captain  of  the  "San 
Antonio,"  who  had  been  brought  home  wounded  and  in 
irons  by  the  mutinous  crew,  after  they  had  deserted  in 
the  Straits,  had  all  this  time  languished  in  jail.  Now, 
when  tlie  true  story  was  told  by  the  survivors  of  the 
"Victoria,"  he  was  released  and  shared  the  lumors  and 
rewards  of  those  who  com[)leted  the  eircunmavigation. 

Thus  ends  the  story  of  a  voyage  of  which  an  old 
chronicler  has  quaintly  said  that  "not  anything  more 
notable  in  navigation  has  been  heard  of  or  described 
since  the  voyage  of  the  [)atriarch  Noah." 

An  astonishing  thing  about  it  was  that  it  proved 
a  connnercial  success.  The  enormous  value  of  the 
"Victoria's"  cargo  exceeded  the  cost  of  the  outfit  and 
the  loss  of  ships  and  stores  and  gave  a  balance  of  profit. 


Franc,  on  the  Coast  of  North  America      i ']'] 


CHAPTER  XVIII 
vehrazano  exploiies  the  coast  of   the   united 

STATES 

We  are  not  accustonuHl  to  think  of  the  French  as 
being  among  the  early  voyagers.  Yet  tlie  first  known 
exploration  of  the  shores  of  North  America  from  Chesa- 
peake Bay  to  the  Bay  of  Fundy  was  made  by  a  Frencli 
vessel.  In  the  first  place,  French  fisliermen  very  quickly 
flocked  to  the  splendid  fishing-grounds  on  the  banks  of 
Newfoundland,  to  whicli  tlie  expedition  of  the  Cal)ots  in 
1407  and  1408  had  drawn  attention.  "From  1504  to 
the  present  moment,"  says  Dr.  John  Fiske,  "there  has 
probably  never  been  a  year  when  the  French  flag  has  not 
been  seen  and  the  French  language  heard  upon  these 
waters.  The  name  of  Cape  Breton,  which  is  perhaps 
the  earliest  European  name  north  of  the  West  Indies, 
tells  its  own  story." 

In  1523  Giovanni  da  Verrazano,  of  Florence,  one  of 

the  most  highly  trained  pilots  of  his  time,  sailed  from 

Dieppe,  in  France,  with  four  sliips  furnished  by  Francis 

I.,  for  the  express  puri)ose  of  discovering  a  westward 

passage   to   Cathii^       He   encountered   violent  storms, 

which   so  disabled   his  vessels   that  he  finally  made  a 

second  start  with  the  "  Dolphin  "  alone.     On  his  return 

from   this   voyage,  he  made  a  report  to    Francis  in  a 

letter  which  has  often  been  translated  and  which  is  full 

12 


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The  World's  Discoverers 


of  interest  for  us,  because  it  contains  the  first  descrip- 
tion of  a  great  part  of  our  Atlantic  seaboard.  The 
autlienticity  of  this  letter  has  been  disputed,  but  it 
stands  above  question  in  tlie  opinion  of  the  best  scholars. 
Let  us  follow  liis  narrative  somewhat  closely. 

On  January  17,  1524,  he  sailed  westward  from 
"'"deira.  On  the  10th  of  March  "we  reached,"  he 
says,  "a  new  country  that  had  never  before  been  seen 
by  any  one  within  ancient  or  modern  times."  This 
mention  is  very  significant.  It  shows  that  he  knew  that 
he  was  not  on  tlie  coast  of  China  or  of  Japan,  as  Colum- 
bus believed  himself  to  be  when  he  was  among  the 
West  India  islands.  Another  passage  in  his  letter 
shows  us  that  he  recognized  the  newly  discovered  land 
as  a  barrier  between  him  and  the  ocean  beyond  which 
lay  Cathay.  There  is  no  doubt  that  he  had  heard  of 
Magellan'  i  circumnavigation  of  the  earth,  and  lie  be- 
lieved that  there  was  in  the  northern  hemisphere  a 
passage  corresponding  to  that  which  the  other  had 
found  in  the  southern.  To  discover  it  was  his 
problem. 

His  landfall  was  made,  he  says,  about  the  34th  degree 
of  north  latitude,  that  is,  on  the  coast  of  Carolina,  and 
his  description  of  the  country  is  singularly  accurate: 
"The  whole  shore  is  covered  with  fine  sand  about 
fifteen  feet  thick,  rising  in  the  form  of  little  hills 
about  fifty  paces  broad.  Ascending  farther,  we  found 
several  arms  of  the  sea  which  make  in  through  inlets, 
washing  the  shores  on  both  sides  as  the  coast  runs.  An 
outstretched  coimtry  appears  at  a  little  distance,  rising 
somewhat  above  the  sandy  shore,  in  beautiful  fields  and 


France  on  the  Coast  of  North  America      179 

broiid  pliiiiKS,  covered  witli  iimiiciise  forests  of  trees  more 
or  less  dense,  too  vurioiis  in  color  and  too  delightful  iind 
cliiinniiig  in  ai>[)eiiriince  to  be  desc.-rihed.  .  .  .  They 
arc  udoriied  with  palms,  laurels,  cypresses,  and  other 
varieties,  unknown  to  Kurope,  that  send  forth  the 
sweetest  fragi'ancc  to  a  great  distance."  How  the  se.a- 
worn  mariners,  tossed  in  a  winter  voyage  on  the  stormy 
Atlantic,  must  have  been  ravished  as  they  ap[)roached 
this  balmy  southern  land  in  the  springtime  and  scented 
the  fragrance  wafted  far  seaward!  Thirty-eight  years 
later  another  famous  explorer.  Captain  Jean  liibault, 
having  made  his  landfall  on  the  same  coast,  further 
southward,  in  the  springtime  also,  writes  with  rapture 
of  enjoying  "  with  unspeakable  pleasure  the  odorous 
smell  and  beauty"  of  the  shore,  and  beholding  "the 
goodly  order  of  the  woods  wherewith  God  hath  decked 
every  way  the  said  land." 

Though  Verrazano  knew  that  he  was  not  on  the  coast 
of  Asia,  he  evidently  believed  it  to  be  not  very  far  away, 
and,  with  the  fragrance  of  the  Carolina  woods  in  his 
nostrils,  he  writes,"  this  country  cannot  be  devoid  of  the 
same  medicine  and  aromatic  drugs  and  various  riches  of 
gold  and  the  like,  as  is  denoted  by  the  color  of  the 
ground. " 

So  he  coasted  along  northward,  not  finding  any  har- 
boi',  l)ut  noting  the  multitude  of  fires,  which  he  took 
to  indicate  a  numenms  population.  Undoubtedly  the 
natives  Avere  signaling  his  coming.  Often  they  came 
down  to  the  l)each,  making  gestures  of  welcome.  One 
particular  instance  of  their  good-will  he  relates.  A 
young  sailor  swam  close  to  the  shore  carrying  a  number 


m 


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The  World's  Discoverer 


of  toys  and  knick-knacks.  Wlicn  he  was  near  enough, 
he  tossed  tliem  to  a  group  standing  near  the  water's 
edge.  But,  turning  to  swim  hack,  he  was  thrown  over 
hy  the  waves  and  dashed  on  the  siiore  with  so  great 
violence  that  he  hiy  as  it  were  dead.  Thereu[)on  some 
of  tlie  natives  seized  him  hy  the  arms  and  k'gs  and  car- 
ried him  up  from  the  surf.  Under  the  impression  that 
some  horril)le  fate  was  in  store  for  liim,  lie  uttered 
l)iercing  shrieks.  His  eom})anions  in  the  boat,  also, 
when  they  saw  him  set  down  near  a  huge  lire  and  his 
clothes  taken  off,  imagined  that  he  was  about  to  be 
roasted  on  the  s[)ot.  But  all  parties  were  quickly  re- 
assured by  the  kindly  actions  of  the  natives,  who,  when 
he  was  sufficiently  restored  to  be  able  to  swim  out  to  the 
boat,  accompanied  him  to  the  shore  and  watched  him 
until  he  was-safe  with  his  friends. 

Such  were  the  aborigines  of  this  coast  in  their  first 
disposition  towards  Euro[)eaiis.  That  they  did  not  long 
retain  it,  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  when  we  read  of  such 
episodes  as  Lucas  de  Ayllon's  dastardly  kidnapping  of 
a  shipload  of  them  to  woAz  as  slaves  in  St.  Domingo. 
How  well  they  could  requite  treachery  he  learned  when 
he  next  landed  among  them.  Verrazano  himself  fur- 
nishes a  conspicuous  example  of  the  brutal  savagery  of 
those  who  claimed  to  represent  the  humane  spirit  of 
Christianity.  In  the  next  paragraph  to  that  which 
describes  the  friendliness  of  the  natives,  he  relates  that, 
Avalking  in  the  woods  with  a  party  of  his  men,  he  came 
upon  an  old  woman  and  a  young  girl  with  three  chil- 
dren, and  would  have  taken  the  girl,  "who  was  very 
beautiful   and   very   tall,"   but   was   hindered    by  her 


France  on  the  Coast  of  North  America      i  8  i 

sliru'ks  uiid  struggles  and  wiis  coniin'Ilcd  to  content 
liiinst'lf  u  itli  carrying  away  tlu?  oldest  of  tliu  children,  a 
boy  of  eight  years,  to  be  taken  to  France. 

The  explorer  was  niuch  impressed  by  the  native  canoes, 
made  by  "burning  out  as  much  oi  a  log  as  is  recpiisite 
to  make  them  float  well  on  the  sea;"  and  be  gives  a 
true  picture  of  the  sandy  shore-line  of  our  southern  coast 
when  he  says,  "in  the  whole  country,  for  a  space  of  two 
hundred  leagues,  wliicli  we  visited,  we  saw  no  stone  of 
any  sort." 

Now  we  come  to  one  of  tbe  most  significant  passages: 
"After  proceeding  one  bundred  leagues,  we  found  a 
very  pleasant  situation  among  some  steep  hills,  through 
which  a  very  large  river,  deep  at  its  mouth,  forced 
its  way  to  tbe  sea."  Upon  this  passage  and  others  which 
follow.  Dr.  Fiske  remarks:  "Tiiere  can  Ik?  no  <l()ubt 
whatever  as  to  Verrazano's  entering  New  York  harbor. 
Ilis  description  of  tbe  approach  to  New  York  is  unmis- 
takable. Nortbward  tbe  channel  now  called  the  Narrows 
seemed  full  of  promise.  Tbe  neighboring  hillsides 
were  alive  witb  peering  savages  as  tbe  Frencb  ship 
passed  between  Staten  Island  and  tbe  Oowanus  sbore 
and  entered  the  great  land-locked  harbor  which  Verra- 
zano  compares  to  a  beautiful  lake.  Canoes  filled  witb 
red  men  in  paint  and  feathers  darted  hither  and  thither." 

Any  possible  doubt  that  the  locality  described  was 
New  York  harbor  would  be  removed  by  what  follows. 
He  tells  us  that  the  coast  after  this  trends  toward  tbe 
east.  He  followed  it  for  about  eighty  leagues,  along 
the  southern  shore  of  Long  Island,  discovering  an  island 
(Block  Island),  which  he  called  after  the  king's  mother, 


111 


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The  World's  Discoverers 


Louise,  iiud  liuvinj,'' roiUKk'd  Point  Judith,  wliicli  jipix'iirs 
on  liis  iniip  as  ( 'iqxi  St.  Knincis,  ciinic  into  "u  very 
excellent  liiirhor/'  'I'liis  can  lit!  none  other  tliiiu  Narra- 
jjansett  liay,  for  he  says  tliat  it  is  situated  in  41°  40', 
which  is  very  nearly  the  latitude  of  Newport,  "in  the 
pai'allcd  of  llonje,  but  niueh  colder."  lie  called  it 
Kefn^'io. 

Here  he  spent  a  fortnight  and  explored  the  whole  of 
the  hay.  He  was  enthusiastic  about  its  beauty,  and 
describes  it  at  great  length.  His  lengthened  stay  gave 
him  a  good  op[)ortunity  of  becoming  acquainted  with 
the  natives,  and  he  tells  us  of  their  manner  of  living, 
their  focnl,  tludr  canoes,  tlicir  wigwams,  and  other  such 
details.  They  seemed  to  him  su^jcrior  to  any  othei-s 
that  he  had  seen,  and  nnich  lighter  in  color.  "Their 
eyes  are  black  and  shai-p,  their  expression  mild  and 
l)leasant,  greatly  resend)ling  the  antique.  Their  women 
are  of  the  same  form  and  beauty,  very  graceful,  of  fine 
coiuitenanees  and  pleasing  appearance  in  manners  and 
modesty."  "They  arc  very  generous,"  he  continues, 
"giving  away  whatever  they  have."  But  in  one  jxirtic- 
ular  their  caution  seemed  to  him  excessive;  "although 
they  came  on  board  themselves  and  remained  a  long 
while,  they  made  their  wives  stay  in  the  boats,  nor  could 
we  ever  get  them  on  board  by  entreaties  or  any  presents 
we  could  niakc  them."  When  the  character  of  their 
visitors  is  considered,  we  cannot  but  applaud  the  wari- 
ness of  these  friendly  savages.  We  come  upon  an 
interesting  point  when  we  read,  "If  they  fall  sick, 
they  cure  themselves  without  medicine,  by  llie  heat 
of  the  fire."     This  plainly  refers  to  the  sweadng-bath, 


ammmtiUim* 


France  on  the  Coast  of  North  America      183 


which  seems  to  liave  been  very  generally  used  hy  the 
Indians. 

After  a  two  weeks'  stay  in  this  delightful  Port  of 
Refuge,  as  it  was  long  afterwards  designated  on  the 
maps,  the  voyagei-s  sailed  first  to  the  east,  tlien  to  the 
north,  following  the  coast  very  closely  for  a  hundred 
and  fifty  leagues.  They  had  hy  this  time  come  to  "a 
more  elevated  country,  full  of  very  thick  woods  of  fir- 
trees,  cypresses  and  the  like,  indicative  of  a  cold 
climate."  They  were  now,  probably,  in  the  region  of 
Cape  Ann.  "  The  people  were  entirely  different  from 
the  others  we  had  seen,  whom  we  had  found  kind  and 
gentle;  but  these  were  so  rude  and  barbarous  that  we 
were  unable  by  any  sign  we  could  make  to  hold  connnu- 
nication  with  them.  The  land  appears  sterile  and  unfit 
for  growing  of  fruit  or  grain  of  any  kind,  and  we  saw 
no  signs  of  cultivation."  Having  landed  in  one  place, 
the  explorers  encountered  the  hostility  of  the  natives, 
who  sent  a  shower  of  arrows  among  them,  "  raising  the 
most  horrible  cries  and  fleeing  to  the  woods." 

Still  keeping  near  to  the  coast,  the  "  Dolphin  "  sailed 
northeast,  and  got  a  distant  view  of  the  White  Moun- 
tains. Then  it  came  into  a  bay  full  of  islands  "  of  pleas- 
ant appearance,  and  so  disposed  as  to  afford  excellent 
harbors  and  channels,  as  we  see  in  the  Adriatic  Gulf, 
near  Illyria  and  Dalmatia,"  a  description  which  seems 
to  leave  no  doubt  that  the  locality  was  Penobscot  Bay. 
Shortly  afterward,  as  the  supply  of  food  was  running 
lev/,  the  "  Dolphin "  turned  her  prow  homeward  and 
reached  Dieppe  within  twenty-eight  days.  Thus  ended 
a  voyage  which  is  remarkable  for  having  accomplished 


ii^t 


;S  I  ■ 


184 


The  World's  Discoverers 


I  ! 


llic  lirst  (•xi)l<)niti(iii  and  I'liniislicd  the  lirst  dt-sc  ri[>ti()ii 
of  ii  liir^'c  [Kirt  (if  our  caslem  (-((iist. 

JJiit  wliiit  of  tlu!  piissiige  toCiitliay?  V^MTazaiio  did 
not  (daiin  to  liav(!  discovcivd  one.  Hut  tlicrc  is  tlu^ 
(duarost  evidcnno  that  ha  Indievcd  liims«!lf  to  have  actu- 
ally htokcsd  ui)ou  the  Paeilic.  After  his  return,  liis 
brotlier  niadi;  a  uia[)  \vhi(di  has  a  singular  feature.  It 
shows  the  continent  of  Nortii  America  divided  into  a 
great  body  of  hmd  at  tlie  soutli  and  a  snialhjr  one  at  the 
nortli,  these  two  connected  ])y  a  narrow  isthnnis  in  the 
region  now  known  as  ihn  eastern  shore  of  Virginia.  On 
this  map  is  the  inscription:  "From  tliis  eastern  sea 
one  behokls  the  wcsstern  sea;  there  are  six  mih's  of 
hind  between  the  two."  Thereu[)on  Dr.  Fiske  has  sur- 
mised, with  great  phuisibility,  that  Verrazauo  missed 
the  entrance  of  Chesa[)eake  Hay,  but,  chancing  to  hmd 
a  little  to  the  north  of  it  on  the  narrow  Accomac  penin- 
sula, and  seeing  the  apparently  l)oundless  expanse  of 
the  bay  on  the  west,  mistook  it  for  the  western  ocean. 
Ills  error  was  perpetuated  in  a  series  of  maps,  covering 
nearly  a  hundred  years,  all  of  which  show,  in  the  region 
referred  to,  a  narrow  isthmus  connecting  tw^o  continen- 
tal areas  and  washed  on  its  western  shore  by  a  so-called 
"Sea  of  Verrazano." 

The  most  of  the  pioneers  of  exi)loration  died  on 
the  element  where  they  gained  renown.  A  worse 
fate  befell  Verrazano.  Three  years  after  hh  famous 
voyage,  while  engaged  on  another,  he  met  a  Spanish 
squadron,  and,  after  a  stout  fight,  was  overpowered  by 
superior  force,  captured,  taken  to  Cadiz,  and  hanged  as 
a  pirate. 


THE  VERRAZANO  MAP 


I 


M  1 


Cm 


\W 


Franc"  on  the  Coast  of  North  America      1 87 

The  t'liief  result  of  liis  exjjlonilion  seems  to  luive  been 
the  kiiowU'dLfe  wliich  FnMich  seiimeii  maiinMl  of  the 
Iliidsoii  River,  i'iiey  are  said  to  have  fieijiieiited  it  \oi\g 
before  Kn<;-lish  or  Dutch  eanie  there,  and,  so  early  as 
lo40,  to  have  built  a  tradiug-fort  where  Albany  now 
stands,  besides  one  at  Manhattan. 

A  eurious  controversy  has  gi-own  out  of  Verrazano's 
voyaf,^e  with  reference  to  the  mysterious  region  known 
as  Norund)ega,  a  name  which  lie  seems  to  have  iirst 
l)rought  to  the  attention  of  Europeans-.  There  has  been 
nnich  diversity  of  opinion  as  to  the  meaning  and  origin 
of  the  word,  as  well  as  the  situation  of  the  country. 
The  late  Professor  Ilorsford,  of  Cand)ridge,  stoutly 
maintained  that  the  name  was  the  Indian  attempt  to 
pionounce  Norwega,  the  Latin  form  of  Norway,  and  that 
it  designated  a  city  on  tlui  ('luu'les  River,  in  i\[assachu- 
setts,  erected  by  the  Northmen  early  in  the  eleventh 
century.  Passengers  on  the  bridge  over  the  Charles 
between  Waltham  and  Newton  may  read  this  inseri})tion 
on  a  tablet:  "Outlook  upon  the  stone  dam  and  st(,ne- 
walled  docks  and  whai-ves  of  Nornmbega,  the  seaport 
of  the  Northmen  in  Vineland.  Erected  by  E ben  Norton 
Ilorsford,  Dec.  31,  1S92." 

Others  have  maintained  that  the  Penobscot  was  the 
Noruudjcga  River.  IJut  tin;  old  njaps,  which  surely  are 
the  best  witnesses  on  this  point,  strongly  controvert 
bith  these  theories.  One,  of  the  date  of  1550,  has  the 
words  Terra  de  Nurumbega  in  large  letters  covering  all 
the  country  from  the  Hudson  to  Nariugansett  Ray. 
Another,  of  the  date  of  15G9,  a  particularly  fine  one, 
has  the  region  both  east  and  west  of  the  Hudson  desig- 


f. 


m 


f'    <  i 


if^ 


it      : 


t  . 


f 


, 


J 


i 


i88 


The  World's  Discoverers 


nated  Norombega,  and,  in  addition,  the  same  name  in 
small  lettci-s  set  opposite  a  village  at  the  head  of  New 
Yolk  IJay. 

On  this  testimony  it  would  seem  to  be  clearly  estal)- 
lished  that  the  name  Noruml)ega  covered  both  a  region 
about  the  Hudson  and  a  village  on  or  near  the  site  of 
New  York  City. 


Early  Seekers  of  a  Northeast  Passage     189 


CHAPTER  XIX 


THE  EARLIEST  SEEKERS   OP  A   NORTHEAST  PASSAGE 


For  our  fii-st  authentic  glimpse  of  the  countries  and 
races  of  the  far  north  we  are  indebted  to  a  royal  writer, 
Alfred  the  Great.  This  noblest  of  English  rulers 
"desired  to  leave  to  the  men  that  come  after  a  remeiii- 
brance  of  him  in  good  works,"  and,  dying,  was  able  to 
say,  "So  long  as  I  have  lived,  I  have  striven  to  live 
worthily."  He  earnestly  sought  to  enlighten  his  pe()j)le, 
and  in  order  to  throw  open  to  them  the  knowledge 
which  till  then  had  been  limited  to  the  clergy,  who 
alone  understood  Latin,  he  translated  several  books  into 
English.  Thus  he  laid  the  foundations  of  our  noble 
literature.  He  has  also  left  us  an  account  of  the  first 
Arctic  exploration  of  which  there  is  any  record. 

About  the  year  880  there  came  to  liis  court  a  man 
whose  experiences  must  have  been  wonderfully  interest- 
ing to  Alfred's  eager  mind.  His  judgment  did  not  err 
as  to  the  value  of  this  early  explorer's  discoveries.  The 
story  of  Othere's  voyage  bears  all  the  murks  of  truth, 
Ijecause  it  gives  a  description,  accurate  at  this  day,  of 
lands  and  peoples  about  whom,  at  that  time  and  for 
hundreds  of  years  afterwards,  the  most  grotescpu'  fables 
were  current  in  Europe.     His  story  was  briefly  this:  — ■ 

He  was  a  native  of  Helgeland,  in  the  northern  part  of 
Norway.    Beyond  him  all  was  waste  land,  except  that  in 


f     :  t 


:.i-U 


190 


The  World's  Discoverers 


ji  f(nv  places  tlicre  dwelt  Finns,  hnnting  in  the  winter 
and  in  the  sninnier  fisliing.  lie  was  desirous  of  seeing 
how  far  the  waste  land  extended.  'I'herefore  he  set  sail 
and  followed  the  coast  northward,  until  he  had  gone  i;s 
far  as  the  whale-hunters  were  wont  to  <ro.  lie  sailed 
still  north  for  three  (hiys  more.  Then  the  land  inclined 
to  the  east.  He  followed  it,  having  always  an  o[)cn  sea 
on  his  left  and  on  his  right  waste  land,  uninha!<ited  ex- 


A    NORSE   SHIP   OF   TUK   TENTH   CENTURY 


copt  hy  lishcrnien,  fowlers,  and  hunters.  After  live  days 
the  land  inclined  due  south.  He  still  followed  it  until 
lie  came  to  the  mouth  of  a  great  river. 

He  goes  on  to  give  some  interesting  particulars  ahout 
the  whale-fishery,  about  walruses,  and  ahout  the  rein- 
deer, which  constituted  the  sole  wealth  of  the  sparse 
population.  AVe  have  no  reason  for  doubting  that  this 
bold  picmeer  actually  saihnl  into  the  Arctic  Ocean, 
doubled  North  Cape,  and  entered  the  White  Sea,  going 


a     , 


Early  Seekers  of  a  Northeast  Passage     1 9 1 

as  far  as  the  mouth  of  the  Dwina.  His  account  of  tlie 
course  wliich  he  followed  agrees  exactly  with  the  coast- 
line. Indeed,  he  showed  a  ])etter  ac(iuaintance  with  the 
geography  of  that  region  than  was  common  many  hun- 
dreds of  years  later.  Maps  published  so  late  as  the  lirst 
half  of  the  sixteenth  cevtury  show  Greenland  connected 
with  Norway.  It  is  interesting,  too,  to  know  from  his 
report  that  these  regions  were  inliahited  in  those  leuiote 
times,  as  they  are  to-day,  hy  Lai)ps,  living  essentially 
tiie  same  life,  with  their  herds  of  reindeer,  their  only 
wealth. 

We  must  therefore  give  to  this  bold  Xors'^man  tlie 
credit  of  ])eing  the  iirst  Euroi)ean  to  penetrate  the 
frozen  regions  of  the  far  North  and  impart  to  western 
Europe  some  knowledge  of  what  he  had  observed.  He 
was  a  worthy  scion  of  that  daring  race  which,  about  th(^ 
Slime  time,  sent  forth  Eric  the  Red,  to  plant  in  Iceland 
a  colon}'  th-  1  has  prospered  more  than  a  thousand  years. 

After  the  time  of  Alfied  the  densest  ignorance  pre- 
vailed. Hundreds  of  years  passed  by,  and  nothing  was 
done  towards  pushing  the  ex[)loi-ations  which  Othere  had 
begun  so  valiantly.  The  solitary  whale- lishers  and 
huntei'son  the  desolate  coasts  of  Lajjland  and  the  White 
Sea  lived  their  remote  lives  unvisited  by  western  I'>uro- 
peans,  among  whom  the  most  absurd  accounts  of  these 
peoples  circulated.  Xothingwas  too  preposterous  to  be 
credited.  If  we  would  form  an  idea  of  the  kind  of 
"travelers'  tales"  that  were  current  down  to  a  compara- 
tively rece  ^t  time,  we  have  only  to  read  Sir  John  Aiaiin- 
deville,  who  has  l)een  mentioned  in  the  lirst  chapter  f)f 
this  book.     Here  is  a  sam[)le  paragraph,  with  modern 


i* 

6 

i 

1 

i  ■ 

I 

,  t 

«; 

f 

■     f 

1  -!  .f4?: 

1; 


I   ii 


I  92 


The  World's  Discoverers 


li 


N^'iviJ 


Kal!i 


spelling:  "In  another  isle  are  people  who  have  the  face 
all  flat,  without  nose  and  witliout  mouth.  In  another 
isle  are  people  that  have  the  lip  above  the  mouth  so 
^H'eat,  that  when  they  sleep  in  the  sun,  they  cover  all 
the  face  with  that  lip.  And  in  another  isle  there  are 
dwarfs,  whicli  have  no  mouth,  but  instead  of  their  mouth 
they  liave  a  little  round  hole ;  and  when  they  shall  eat 
or  drink,  they  take  it  through  a  pijjc  or  a  pen  or  such  a 
thing,  and  suck  it  in.  And  in  another  isle  are  [)eople 
that  have  horses'  feet.  In  another  isle  are  people  that 
are  all  skinned  and  fcuthered,  and  would  leap  as 
lightly  into  trees  and  from  tree  to  tree  as  squirrels 
or  apes." 

The  imaginative  knight  sometimes  vouches  for  these 
absurdities  as  matters  of  his  own  personal  knowledge. 
For  instance,  he  gives  this  information  about  diamonds: 
"They  grow  many  together,  one  little,  another  great; 
and  there  are  some  the  greatness  of  a  bean,  and  some  as 
great  as  a  hazel-nut.  They  arc  square  and  pointed  of 
their  own  k'.id,  without  work  of  man's  hand.  They 
grow  together,  male  and  female,  and  are  nourished  by 
the  dew  of  heaven.  They  bi'ing  forth  small  children, 
that  multiply  and  grow  all  the  year.  I  have  oftentimes 
tried  the  experiment,  that  if  a  man  keep  them  with  a 
little  of  the  rock  and  wet  them  with  Maj'-dew  often, 
they  shall  grow  every  year,  and  the  small  will  grow 
great;  for  right  as  the  fine  pearl  congeals  and  grows 
great  by  the  dew  of  heaven,  right  so  doth  the  true 
diamond."  Elsewhere  he  writes  of  parrots  that  talk 
w'ithout  being  taught.  But  he  does  not  tell  what  lan- 
j'    ige  they  speak. 


Early  Seekers  of  a  Northeast  Passage     193 

The  eagerness  with  which  these  tales  were  devouri'd 
in  Europe  gives  us  a  startling  insight  into  the  general 
ignorance  and  credulity.  Exce})t  the  Scriptures,  no 
other  book,  it  is  said,  was  more  connuon  in  the  end  of  the 
fourteenth  century  and  the  hegiiuiing  of  the  iifteenth. 
Undouhtedly  what  Sir  John  wrote  aljout  China  and 
India,  together  with  the  earlier  narration  of  IShirco 
Polo,  went  far  towards  arousing  the  curiosity  and  greed 
of  western  Europe  and  nourishing  the  dream  of  Catliay 
which  insi)ired  those  adventurous  voyages,  the  most 
important  of  which  are  sketched  in  this  hook.  When 
men  read  of  an  eastern  land  where  silver  was  too  com- 
mon to  be  used  for  tableware,  but  was  made  into  stei)s, 
pillars,  and  pavements;  and  of  Prester  John's  palace, 
with  its  gates  of  precious  stones,  its  halls  and  chand)ers 
of  crystal,  its  tables  of  gold  studded  with  emeialds, 
and  huge  carbuncles  giving  great  light  by  night,  it  is 
small  wonder  that  they  thirsted  for  a  share  in  that  magic 
wealth.  So  it  was  that  these  tales,  while  they  added 
nothing  to  the  sum  of  knowledge,  helped  to  kindle  that 
eager  longing  out  of  which  Cohunbus's  voyage  was 
born,  together  with  many  others  that  opened  up  un- 
known regions  of  the  globe. 

In  this  chaotic  state  remained  the  knowledge  of  Euro- 
peans about  Asia  three  centuries  longer.  The  North 
was  a  vast  terra  incognita,  of  which  scarcely  anything 
was  known,  while  monstrous  fables  were  circidated; 
the  far  East  was  a  land  whose  reputed  boundless  wealth 
and  dazzling  splendor  surpassed  the  wildest  dreams  of 
the  Western  imagination. 

The   discovery   of  America  greatly  stimulated  that 

13 


k:'  ! 


!1 


'  3 


•i.     t 


ii 


(.,  i- 


M  '       ! 


Ill    j 


lilt! 


1^ 


k      I 


'il; 


194 


The  World's  Discoverers 


activity  of  wliich  it  wiis  tlic  imni(3(li5ite  fruit.  All 
Eiiro[)e  WHS  eager  to  sliare  in  tlin  wealtli  of  the  Indies, 
su[>iiose(l  to  have  been  readied  by  tlie  western  route. 
The  ap[)arently  inexliaustihle  supply  of  silver  which, 
after  the  conquests  of  Cortez  and  Pizarro,  [joured  in  a 
stream  into  the  Iberian  peninsula,  seemed  to  reali/x'  the 
old  legends  of  the  Kast.  Hut  the  sellish  policy  and  the 
unquestioned  mastery  on  the  water  of  Spain  and  Portu- 
gal closed  to  the  rest  of  the  world  the  southern  routes 
to  this  VA  Dorado.  Far  from  disseminating  their 
knowledge  of  those  regions,  they  carefully  concealed 
it.  Out  of  this  necessity  of  having  a  route  of  their  own, 
secure  from  tiie  tyrants  of  the  southern  seas,  the  thought 
grew  up  among  the  northern  nations,  that  the  far  East 
might  l)e  reached  either  by  the  northeast  or  by  the 
northwest. 

So  early  as  1527,  Robert  Thorne  urged  Henry  VIII., 
since  the  S[)aniards  and  Portuguese  had  discovered  all 
other  countrit^s,  to  undertake  explorations  in  the  North. 
It  was  possible,  he  said,  if  one  sliould  sail  to  the  Pole 
and  then  turn  to  the  east,  passing  "the  land  of  the 
Tartars  "  (Sibc'ria),  to  reach  China.  Or  one  could  attain 
the  same  end  })y  turning  to  the  west  and  sailing  along 
the  back  of  Newfoundland. 

In  the  time  of  Henry's  son  and  successor  the  first 
maritime  expedition  on  a  large  scale  was  sent  out  from 
I^iUgland.  The  equipment  of  the  vessels  was  carried 
out  with  great  care  under  the  direction  of  the  veteran 
navigator,  Sebastian  Cabot,  "  Governor  of  the  mysterie 
and  companie  of  the  Marchants  Adventurers  of  the  citie 
of  London."    The  object  of  the  expedition  was  the  "dis- 


;i.| 


''  1:11 


SIR  HUGH  WILLOUGHBY 


Early  Seekers  of  a  Northeast  Passage     i  97 

covoric  ol'  Catliiiy  and  divers  otlins  placry  iiid<ii(>\\  n." 
Its  coininuiuU'r,  Sir  IiMi,di  Willoiij^dihy,  carried  an  open 
letter  in  Latin,  (Jreek,  and  several  other  lan_i,niaji^es, 
re(iuesting  the  pcuph;  of  any  countries  to  whicii  he 
might  come  to  treat  him  as  tliey  woidd  wish  to  he 
treated  if  tliey  slioiiid  come  to  Knghmd. 

The  expedition,,  consisting  of  three  vessels,  the  ""  IJona 
Esperanza,"  under  Sir  Hugh  Willougiihy,  the  "Edward 
IJona  venture,"  under  Hieliard  Chancelor,  and  the  ''  l»ona 
Contidentia,"  under  Cornelius  Durfoorth,  sailed  in 
May,  1553.  It  was  sent  off  with  a  great  hui-st  of 
popular  enthusiasm,  with  roaring  cannon  and  shout- 
ing nudtitudes. 

The  vessels  turned  the  northern  extremity  of  Europe 
and  entered  tlie  Arctic  Ocean.  In  Sei)tend)er,  during  a 
gale,  they  parted  company.  Sir  Hugh,  with  his  ship 
and  the  "Confidentia,"  found  a  good  harhor  on  the 
coast  of  Russian  Lapland,  at  the  mouth  of  the  river 
Arzina,  and  determined  to  winter  there.  Of  their  fate 
we  know  riothing  more  than  that,  during  the  course  of 
a  winter  which  nnist  have  been  frightful,  every  man  of 
the  sixty-two  died,  doubtless  of  cold  and  the  scurvy. 
The  last  words  of  the  commander's  journal  [jathetically 
record  that  he  had  sent  out  men  three  days'  journey  to 
the  west,  to  the  southwest,  and  to  the  east,  but  all 
returned  "without  finding  of  people  or  any  similitude 
of  habitation."  When  Russian  fishermen  came,  in  the 
spring,  to  the  harbor,  they  found  the  English  ships,  but 
there  was  no  sign  of  life  about  them.  Death's  icy  hand 
lay  heavy  on  all  the  company.  A  strange  spectacle  it 
was,  that  of  two  silent  ships,  tenanted  only  by  the  dead. 


i        ■*  (  ; 


i-t 


I 


0 


I 


198 


The  World's  Discoverers 


Very  (lilTciciit  iiulocd  was  tlio  fiilc  of  Uicluinl  Cliim- 
('(•I(ir.  It  was  Ills  ^'ood  lordiiic  to  iiiuki)  a  voyngc  wliidi 
(•[k'IumI  a  new  uni  in  cttiimit'ici'.  Tin"  "I'Mward  lioiia- 
vciitiii'c,"  wlioii  slu!  lost  lit'i'  coiisoits  ill  a  storm,  sailed 
t((  V'^ardoi'liiis,  a  lishiii*,'  town  on  (Ik;  iiortlicast  coast  of 
Noi'way.  After  \vaitiii.L(  tliei'e  a  week  for  Willoiij^hhy, 
lie  set  out  a<(aiii,  resolved  "either  to  \)V\\i<j;  that  to  [)assi! 
which  was  intended,  or  else  to  die  the  death."  What  a 
line  note  of  darin^jj  is  theic!  As  in  Cohnnhus's  crew, 
there  wcu'o  sonu;  on  his  shi[»  who  earnestly  tried  to  dis- 
suade liiiu  from  what  they  deemed  a  too  [U'rilous  ven- 
ture. But  he  r(!S()lutely  "held  on  his  coui'se  towards 
that  unknown  part  of  the  world,  and  sailed  so  farre  that 
lieo  came  at  last  to  the;  i)lace  where  hee  found  no  niglit 
at  all,  but  a  continuall  li^dite  and  brii^htnesse  of  the 
sunne  .-'hinini^  clearly  upon  tin;  hut^'o  and  mii^htie  sea." 
In  time  he  entered  the  White  Sea  and  reached  the  mouth 
of  the  Dwina,  at  the  place;  where  Archangel  now  stands. 
The  natives  treattMl  him  with  great  hos[)itality  'Uitl 
inunediately  selit  olf  a  eouricu"  to  the  Czar  to  notify  him 
of  the  extraordinary  event,  the  arrival  of  a  ship  from 
western  l-hirope.  Ivan  the  Terrible  forthwith  sent  a 
messenger  inviting  Chancelor  to  visit  his  court  at 
Moscow.  This  was  before  St.  Petersburg  was  founded. 
At  that  time  the  interior  of  Russia  was  ]):ii])ably  some- 
what less  known  to  western  Europe  than  is  the  interior 
of  Thibet  to-day.  To  the  sturdy  Englishman  it  must 
have  seemed  that  he  was  re-enacting  some  of  the  experi- 
ences of  Marco  Polo,  when  he  plunged  into  the  wilds  of 
the  little-known  empire.  He  has  left  us  a  most  enter- 
taining account  of  his  jouiney  by  sledge  from  the  White 


Early  Seekers  of  a  Northeast  Passage       199 

Scii  to  Moscow,  of  liis  ('iitcrtiiiiimciit  Ity  tlic  C/.iir,  mid 
of  tlu'  lil'c  at  liis  sciui-l)ail)iii'oiis  court.  'I'lic  I'ollowiiij^ 
HUMiiiHT  lie  rt'tiiriK'd  with  his  vi'sscl  to  Knglaiid.  I*  roiii 
tliat  voyage  there  grow  up  a  coininercial  rehitiou  which 
soou  l«'f'auio  of  great  iini)ortanco  to  hoth  nations.  A 
company  Iviiown  as  the  Muscovy  Coin[>any  was  formed 
in  London  for  tho  furtlierancc  of  this  traih;.  Itestah- 
lislied  its  agents  at  pointH  on  the  Wliito  Sea,  and  the  re- 
nioU^  North  was  hrought  into  trade  rehitions  with  west- 
ern Kuroi)e.  Tiius  was  gained  an  extensive  knowledge 
of  the  land  of  the  midnight  sun,  and  noilhern  Russia 
was  greatly  benelited  by  this  connncrce,  one  fruit  of 
which  is  the  city  of  Archangel. 

While  their  captain  was  away  the  crew  of  the  shii) 
had  an  experience  of  cold  such  as  they  had  never 
dreamed  of.  "In  their  going  up  only  from  their  cahiny 
to  the  hatches,  they  had  their  breath  oftentimes  so  sud- 
denly taken  away,  that  they  eftsoones  fell  down  as  men 
very  neere  dead,  so  great  is  the  sharpnesse  of  that  cold 
climate  "  During  his  journey  to  Moscow  and  his  stay 
there  Chancelor  made  some  very  shrewd  observations. 
He  was  very  nnich  struck  with  the  contrast  between 
the  coarseness  and  scpialor  of  some  things  and  the  osten- 
tation of  wealth  in  others.  He  remarks:  "As  for  the 
king's  court  and  i)alace,  it  is  not  of  the  neatest,  only  in 
forme  it  is  foure  square,  and  of  low  building,  nuich 
surpassed  and  excelled  by  the  beautie  and  elegancie  of 
the  houses  of  the  kings  of  England."  Imagine  his 
surprise  when,  within  this  mean  exterior,  he  saw  the 
emperor  sitting  in  "a  very  royall  throne,  having  on  his 
head  a  Diademe  or  crown  of  golde  and  in  his  hand  a 


1 


I     If 


ki 


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200 


The  World's  Discovci^rs 


HI  ' 


tf  il      ,■ 


f}'  ■  :'■ 


sc'.'[)t('r  pu'iiisluMl  and  besot  with  precious  stones,"  sur- 
roundcnl  hy  tli'j  great  ol'lieers  of  state,  "arayed  also  in 
cloth  oL  gold;"  and  when  he  observed  that  "all  the  fur- 
niture of  dishes  and  drinking  vessels  for  the  use  of  a 
hundred  guests  was  all  of  [)ure  golde,  and  the  tables 
were  so  laden  with  vessels  of  gold,  that  there  was  no 
roonie  for  some  to  stand  upon  them,"  while  "140  servi- 
tors arayed  in  cloth  of  gold  changed  thrise  their  habit 
and.  apparell."  Probably  he  was  so  much  dazzled  by 
the  barbaric  splendor  which  he  actually  witnessed  tliat 
he  imagined  much  more. 

Russia  seemed  to  him  wonderfully  rich  in  military 
resources,  because  of  its  enormous  jjopulation  inured  to 
cold,  iiardship,  and  meagre  fare.  She  had  not  so  nuich 
disei])lined  troops  as  wild  hordes  (Cossacks).  "They 
are  men  without  al  order  in  the  held.  For  the  most 
part  they  never  give  l)attell  to  their  enemies;  but  that 
which  they  doe,  they  doe  it  all  by  stelth.  But  I  believe 
they  1)6  such  men  for  hard  living  as  are  not  under  the 
sun:  for  no  cold  will  hurt  them.  Yea  and  though  they 
lie  in  the  field  two  moneths,  at  such  time  as  it  shall 
freese  more  than  a  yard  thicke,  the  common  sovddier 
hath  neether  tent  nor  anything  else  over  his  lie.id  •  the 
most  defence  they  have  against  the  wether  is  a  felte, 
which  is  set  against  the  vvdnd  and  weather,  and  Avhen 
the  snow  connneth  bee  doth  cast  it  off.  and  maketh  him 
a  fire  and  laith  him  down  thereby.  Everie  man  nuist 
carie  and  make  provision  for  himself  and  his  horse  for  a 
moneth  or  two.  lie  himself  shall  live  upon  water  and 
otenmeale  mingled  together  cold:  his  horse  shall  eat 
green  wo^.d  and  such  like  baggage  and  shall  stand  oju'V 


Early  Seekers  of  a  Northeast  Passage     201 


in  tlui  cold  field  without  I'ovort.  and  yet  wil  lie  lulKmr 
and  siTVG  him  wel/'  On  the  whole,  Russia  seemed  to 
him  like  ""a  young  horse  that  knoweth  not  his  strength, 
whom  a  little  child  ruleth  and  guideth  with  a  l)ri<lle.'' 

The  misery  of  the  i)Oor  made  a  gi'cat  im|)i'ession  on 
him:  "They  be  naturally  given  to  l;;ii(l  living  as  well  in 
fare  as  in  lodging.  I  heard  a  Uussiun  sav  that  it  was  a 
great  deal  merrier  living  in  prison  than  foorth  [free], 
but  for  the  great  beating;  for  they  have  meate  and 
drinke  without  any  labour,  and  get  the  eharitie  of  well 
disposed  people:  but  being  at  liberty  they  get  nothing. 
The  poore  is  very  innumerab!(>  aiul  live  most  miserably, 
for  I  have  seen  them  eat  the  pickle  of  Ilearring  and 
other  stiidving  fish;  nor  the  lish  cannot  be  so  rotten, 
but  they  will  eat  it  and  praise  it."' 

lie  concludes  with  some  remarks  on  the  religion  of 
the  Russians:  "When  any  of  them  die,  they  have  a 
testimoiuall  with  them  in  the  collin,  that  when  ihv.  soule 
commeth  to  heaven  gates,  it  may  di'livei-  the  same  to 
Saint  Peter,  which  declareth  that  the  pai'tie  is  a  trui^  and 
holy  Russian."  I'ut,  after  telling  much  of  their  fic- 
quent  fasts  and  their  masses  and  elaborate  ceremonies 
and  daily  services,  he  says,  even  of  their  "blacko 
monks,"  "as  for  leclnry  and  (h'unkenness  there  Ix?  none 
such  liviuLj;  and  for  extortion  tliev  be  the  u)^  i  abliom- 
niable  under  thesunne.     Nowe  judge  of  their  iiolinesse!  " 

There  was  a  terrible  percentage  of  mortality  among 
the  early  adventurers  in  the  northeast.  Chancelor  was 
one  of  the  man3'  who  perished.  Two  years  aftei-  his 
successful  voyage  and  his  return  to  England  with  a 
letter  from  the  Czar  to  his  roval  master,  he  sailed  once 


I',-   r: 


f»*-i 


'  W 


202 


The  World's  Discoverers 


3 


I!    I 


more  to  the  Dwiiia.  Returning,  Avith  a  Russian  eni- 
1  cissy  on  l)()ar(l,  besides  a  valuable  cargo,  an  evidence  of 
the  liuMative  tiade  which  he  liad  been  the  means  of 
estal)lishing,  his  vessel  was  wrecked  on  the  coast  of 
Scotland,  and  he,  with  his  wife  and  seven  Russians,  was 
drowned. 

Ill  th(^  same  year  was  made  another  notable  voyage  in 
the  same  direction.  Stephen  Burrough  sailed  from 
ICngland  in  a  little  pinnace  called  the  "Searchthrift." 
Sel)astian  Cabot  was  again  one  of  the  chief  promoters 
of  the  enterprise.  His  warm  interest  is  mentioned  by 
Burrough  in  a  very  quaint  way:  "The  good  olde  Gen- 
tleman Master  Cabota  "  (then  seventy-nine  years  oM) 
"gave  to  the  poore  mosi  liberal  almes,  wishing  them  to 
pray  for  the  good  fortune  and  prosperous  successe  of  the 
*  Searchthrift. '  And  then  he  and  his  friends  banketed 
and  made  me  and  them  that  were  in  the  company  great 
checrr  •  and  for  very  joy  he  entred  into  the  dance 
himselfe,  among  the  rest  of  the  young  and  lusty  com- 
pany: which  l)eing  ended,  bee  and  his  friends  departed 
most  gi'utl}',  commending  us  to  the  governance  of 
.vlniightie  (Jod.'' 

In  two  respects  the  voyage  of  the  "  Searchthrif t "  is 
memorable.  Tlie  daring  little  pimiace  penetrated  fur- 
ther than  any  previous  vessel  of  western  Europe,  as  far 
even  as  Vaygats  Island,  wliich  lies  between  Nova  Zem- 
bla  and  Siberia,  and  Kara  Strait,  which  leads  into  the 
Kai-a  Sea.  Again  '"n  liurrough's  journal  we  have  one 
of  tlu;  very  earliest  accounts  of  the  Samoyeds,  and  a  true 
picture  it  is  at  this  day.  He  gives  occasionally  perhaps 
rather   free    play    to   his   imagination.       In   describing 


Early  Seekers  of  a  Northeast  Passage     203 

some  religious  incantations  wliirli  he  witnessed,  lie 
seems  to  say  that  he  saw  a  Sluunai:,  or  |)riestly  conjurer, 
run  a  sword  heated  white-hot  through  his  abd(tmen  and 
withdraw  it,  while  he  remained  uninjured,  lint,  alto- 
gether, the  voyage  added  nnich  to  the  scant  knowledge 
of  the  countries  and  peoples  of  Lhe  high  northern 
liititudes. 

After  this  the  English  were  so  much  occupied  with 
fitting  out  expeditions  to  the  northwest,  that  it  was  not 
till  I08O  that  a  new  attempt  was  made  in  the  direction 
of  the  northeast.  In  that  year  Arthur  I'et  and  Charles 
Jacknuia  set  out  with  instructions  to  sail  on  until  they 
sIujm"  1  c  ;  •  to  ""the  ccmntry  of  Cathay  or  the  dominion 
of  tli,,c.  Kiighty  emperor"  (th.^  Grand  Khan).  The 
dream  of  C;ithay  was  still  tlie  mf>tive  of  these  ventures. 

Pet  and  Jackman  were  men  of  heroic  strain.  They 
were  the  first  explorers  who  ventured  in  good  earnest 
amongst  the  drift-ice.  They  boldly  approached  the 
shores  of  Nova  Zendtla,  passed  through  tlu;  stiuits,  and, 
first  of  all  Western  Europeans,  forced  their  way  into  the 
dreaded  Kara  Sea.  When  we  consider  that  this  was 
done  with  two  pitiful  little  vessels,  (me  of  forty  and  the 
other  of  twenty  i<vas,  we  have  some  n;easure  of  their 
\Vi^!  T,K.  voyage  the  English  attempts  to 
ceased  for  a  ' 


\:\ 


courage. 


UL' 


u 
''■■]li 


:    I    I  ! 


'i 


204 


The  World's  Discoverers 


CIIAPTKU  XX 

TUB   EARLIEST   SEKKKJIS   OF  A   NOUTilWKST    PASSA(JK 

TnK  lionor  of  lirst  seeking  a  northwest  piissage  to 
China  belongs  to  Robert  Tliorne,  who  sailed  in  1;")27 
with  two  ships  furnished  by  Henry  VIII.,  one  of  which 
bore  the  very  appropriate  nanit  '  Poininus  Vobiscuni," 
"The  Lord  be    with  You."     The  of  this  expedi- 

tion is  lost  in  obscurity. 

In  lo-3(j  Master  Hore,  of  London,  gathered  a  com- 
paiij'  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  persons,  of  whom  thirty 
were  gentleniiMi  interested  in  ex;[)loration  and  "desirous 
to  see  the  striUige  things  of  the  world."  How  eiusily 
we  can  picture  the  eager  curiosity  of  these  adventurous 
S[)irits!  But  forty-four  years  had  elapsed  since  Colum- 
bus's great  discovery,  and  the  globe  was  just  beginning 
to  unfold  its  wonders.  T!iis  goodly  company,  after 
receiving  the  C'ommunion  together,  sailed  away  in  two 
"tall  ships"  (King's  vessels),  the  "Trinity"  and  th(> 
"Minion,"  and  soon  began  to  have  experiences  capal)lc 
of  quenchijig  their  thii-st  for  novelty.  After  their  arri- 
val in  Newfoundland,  besides  some  of  the  natives  in  a 
canoe  who  fled  at  their  approach,  they  saw  notliing  but 
"thesoyle  and  the  things  growing  in  the  same,  which 
chiefly  were  store  of  firre  and  pine  trees."  Scarcitv  of 
victuals  soon  grew  into  gaunt  famine.  In  one  place  they 
found  some  small  relief  in  an  usijrey's  nest.     As  fast 


'w\«awn 


»» 


Early  Seekers  of  a  Northwest  Passage     205 

as  tlie  mother  Ijrought  fish  to  her  young,  they  robbed 
them.  From  day  to  day  matters  grew  -worse.  Herbs 
and  roots  alone  stood  between  them  and  death.  One 
day,  in  the  liorrible  pangs  of  hunger,  a  man  killed  a 
comrade  in  the  woods,  and  broiled  and  ate  portions  of 
his  body.  Another  man,  seeking  roots,  smelt  tlesh  brf)il- 
ing  and,  when  he  met  the  guilty  wretch,  re{)roachcd 
him  with  having  secret  supplies  of  meat,  while  his  com- 
rades were  starving.  The  murderer  bore  these  taunts 
at  the  first  in  sullen  silence.  Then  he  blurted  out,  "If 
thou  wouldest  needes  know,  the  broiled  meate  I  had 
was  a  callop  of  such  a  man's  body."  When  this  cir- 
cumstance was  reported  to  the  captain  on  boaid  the 
ship,  he  stood  up  and  made  a  notable  oration,  in  which 
he  showed  how  grievously  such  conduct  offended  the 
Almighty.  He  cited  instances  from  the  Scri})tures  of 
the  help  which  God  gave  in  times  of  distress  to  those 
who  trusted  him,  reminding  them  that  God's  power 
was  not  lessened,  "and  added,  that  if  it  had  not  i)leased 
Him  to  have  holpen  them  in  that  distresse,  it  had  been 
better  to  perish  in  body  and  to  live  everlastingly,  than 
to  have  relieved  for  a  poore  time  their  mortal  bodyes, 
and  to  be  condemned  everlastingly,  both  body  and  sonic, 
to  the  unquenchal)le  fire  of  hell." 

'I'heir  misery  still  increasing,  they  agreed  among 
themselves  that,  rather  than  all  perish,  they  should  cast 
lots  who  should  be  killed.  "That  same  night,  such 
was  the  mercie  of  God,  there  arrived  a  French  ship  in 
that  port  well  furnished  with  vittaile."  The  godly 
adventurei-s  promptly  plundered  the  Frenchmen  of  all 
that  they  needed  and  hoisted  sail  for  liorae.     When  they 


I 


•   "i  ' 


\  ■ 


ill 
if 


2o6 


The  World's  Discoverers 


I 


r 


M    : 


rcaulicd  Engliuul,  one  of  their  number  was  "so  eliuiiged 
in  the  voyage  with  hunger  and  niiserie,  that  Sir  William, 
his  father,  and  my  Lady,  his  mother,  knew  liim  not  to 
bo  their  sonne,  until  they  found  a  secret  mark,  which 
was  a  wart  upon  one  of  his  knees,"  as  he  liimself  told 
that  famous  old  chronicler,  Richard  Ilakluyt,  who  had 
ridden  "200  miles  to  learn  the  whole  trueth  of  this 
voyage  from  his  own  mouth." 

In  One  time  the  plundered  Frenchmen  came  along  and 
made  complaint  to  the  king.  Jiluff  King  Hal  caused 
the  matter  to  be  investigated  and  was  so  much  moved 
by  the  story  of  his  subjects'  sufferings  "that  he  ])unished 
them  not,  but  of  his  own  purse  made  full  and  royall 
recompense  unto  the  French." 

Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert,  the  inspirer  of  northwestern 
exploration,  made  a  successful  voyage  to  Newfoundland 
in  1578.  His  last  venture  was  made  in  lo'SB.  '  He 
sailed  with  five  vessels  and  two  hundred  and  sixty  men, 
including  shipwrights,  smiths,  masons,  and  carpenters, 
his  purpose  being  to  plant  a  colony.  His  "great  design 
was  to  discover  the  remote  countries  of  America,  and  to 
In'mg  off  those  savages  from  their  diabolical  sui)ersti- 
tions  to  the  embracing  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ."  Therefore  he  sailed  jjrovided  with 
"musicke  in  good  varietie ;  not  omitting  the  least  toyes, 
as  morris-dancci-s,  hobby  horsscs  and  many  like  conceits, 
to  delight  the  savage  people,  whom  we  intended  to 
winne  by  all  faire  means  possible." 

Two  days  after  sailing  one  ship  put  back,  under  pre- 
tence of  the  captain's  illness.  On  their  entering  the 
harbor  of  St.  John,   Newfoundland,  they  were   enter- 


? 


Early  Seekers  of  a  Northwest  Passage     207 

taiiiecl  with  great  profusion  by  some  Eiiglisli  inereluiiits 
who  were  trading  there.  This  shows  tiuit  English  com- 
merce was  waking  up.  He  took  pt)ssession  in  tlie 
queen's  name  and,  as  her  representative,  promulgated 
hiws  for  the  government  of  the  colony.  But  the  perni- 
cious influence  of  the  thirst  for  gold,  stimulated  by  Fro- 
bisher's  fancied  discoveries,  which  form  the  subject  of 
the  next  chapter,  showed  itself  in  his  giving  special 
attention  to  the  search  for  [>recious  metals.  A  little 
later  the  "  Delight "  was  lost,  and  with  her  the  ore 
which  he  had  gathered,  on  the  security  of  which  he 
counted  on  borrowing  a  large  sum  from  tlie  Queen  for 
his  next  voyage.  From  this  disastrous  wreck  only 
twelve  out  of  a  hundred  souls  on  the  ship  were  saved. 
Among  the  lost  was  "  the  Saxon  reiiner  and  discoverer 
of  inestimable  riches  "(!).  This  was  a  great  blow  to 
Gilbert,  as  it  blasted  his  hopes  of  viduable  linds  of  pre- 
cious ore.  These  misfortunes  preyed  greatly  on  his 
mind.  l>ut  his  course  was  run;  he  did  not  live  to  see 
England  again. 

His  heroic  death  is  worthy  of  perpetual  remembrance. 
On  the  return  voyage  he  was  urged  to  leave  his  little 
frigate,  the  "S(iuirrel,"  of  ten  tons,  for  the  larger 
"(lolden  Hind;"  but  he  answered,  '*I  will  not,  going 
honnnvard,  leave  my  little  com|)auy  with  whom  I  have 
passed  so  many  storms  and  perils."  The  seas  were  tre- 
mendous. Men  who  had  spent  their  lives  on  the  ocean 
said  that  they  had  never  seen  worse.  In  the  afternoon 
of  that  day  the  "S(piirrel  "  came  near  foundering.  All 
the  while  Sir  Humphrey  sat  calmly  in  the  stern,  with  a 
book  in  his   hand.     When  the  "Golden    Hind"  came 


s  ■■' 


^<  1  , 


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ill 


208 


The  World's  Discoverers 


nciir  enongli,  lie  cried  out  cheerfully,  "'We  are  as  near 
to  heaven  by  sea  as  by  land,'  a  speech  well  befitting  a 
resolute  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  he  truly  was,"  says 
the  chronicler.  The  same  night,  al)out  twelve  o'clock, 
the  frigate's  lights  suddenly  went  out,  and  the  watch 
on  the  larger  vessel  cried  out  that  the  General  was  cast 
away.  'J'rue  it  was.  The  "Squirrel"  had  suddenly 
been  engulfed  in  the  devouring  ocean.  All  that  night 
and  the  rest  of  the  voyage  her  consort  looked  out,  but 
no  sign  more  of  her  was  ever  seen. 

In  the  same  heroic  strain  Sir  Richard  Grenville,  whom 
Raleitdi  had  sent  out  to  his  darling  colony  of  Virginia, 
said,  "Here  die  I,  Uichard  (xrenville,  with  a  joyful  and 
a  quiet  mind,  for  that  I  have  ended  my  life  as  a  good 
soldier  ought  to  do,  who  has  fought  for  his  country, 
queen,  religion,  and  honor.  Wherefore  my  soul  joyfully 
departeth  out  of  this  body  and  shall  always  leave  behind 
it  an  everlastin<r  fame  of  a  true  soldier." 


i        M 


Frobisher's  Fancied  Discoveries       209 


it 


CHAPTER  XXI 

frobisher's  fancied  discoveries 

Martin  Frobisher  had  the  usual  fortune  of  a  would- 
be  discoverer.  For  fourteen  years  he  cherished  his  great 
plan,  h'lt  was  hindered  hy  lack  of  means.  After  the 
appearance  of  Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert's  famous  pam[)hlet 
maintaining  the  existence  of  a  northwest  passage,  that 
pamphlet  which  turned  so  many  heads,  several  gentle- 
men, especially  the  Earl  of  Warwick,  subscribed  to 
Frobisher's  venture,  and  he  finally  secured  means  to 
e(piip  two  small  barks,  of  twenty-five  and  twenty  tons 
each,  called  the  "Gabriel"  and  the  "Michael,"'  together 
with  a  pinnace  01  rcu  tons.  With  these  he  sailed,  June 
15,  1576,  being  fully  resolved  to  ascertain  the  truth  as 
to  the  route  which  he  believed  practicable,  "or  else  never 
to  retourne  againe,  knowing  this  to  be  tae  only  thing 
that  was  left  yet  undone,  whereby  a  notable  mind  might 
be  made  famous." 

Not  long  out,  the  pinnace  was  lost  in  a  storm,  and 
the  crew  of  the  "iSIichael,"  discouraged,  turned  back  in 
the  night  and  reported  Frobisher  cast  away.  Un- 
daunted, the  little  "Gabriel"  held  her  lonely  way  and 
in  due  time  entered  into  a  channel  to  the  north  of  l^abra- 
dor.  Through  this  Frobisher  sailed  some  sixty  leagues, 
having,    as  lie  supposed,  Asia  on  his    right  hand  and 

America  on  his  left.     This  channel  he  called  Frobisher's 

u 


I 


5 
i 


2IO 


The  World's  Discoverers 


Straits,  fully  belioviiig  it  to  be  the  passago  which  he  had 
come  to  seek.     For  a  long  time  afterwards  the  crude 
maps  of  the  day  gave  color  to  this  false  notion. 
The   natives  showed  themselves  quite  friendly  and 


MARTIN  FROBISHER 


brought  him  salmon  and  fresh  meat.  But  when  the 
Englishmen  grew  too  confiding,  one  day  a  boat,  with  five 
men  aboard,  was  cut  off  and  nevermore  heard  of.  After 
this  the  natives  kept  themselves  well  out  of  the  way, 
and  Frobisher  had  not  n  ^.:at  in  which  he  could  go  to 


EAST 

lAi»',Mi»5r 


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a: 

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XSJIAX 


Frobisher's  Fancied  Discoveries        213 

Ills  .lU'ii's  I'csciU'.  IIo  sucei'i'dt'd,  linwcNcr,  in  I'liliciiit^ 
oiiu  of  tlio  .siiva^'cs  (til  board.  This  iiiiiii,  when  ho  found 
Inmsc'U"  a  piisoiicr,  "Tor  very  chollcr  and  disdaino,  bit 
Ids  ton^^iu!  in  twayiio.  Notwitbstandiiij,^  bo  died  not 
lh('r(-f,  l)nt  lived  nnlill  lio  canio  in  Knu'liindi',  and  tboi' 
bo  di(Ml  of  cobhi  wbicb  lio  liad  taken  at  sea." 

Fi'obisber,  on  Ids  return  to  Kngland,  was  greatly  bon- 
oi'cd  fuu  bis  snj>[)osed  discovery  of  tbo  rontc  to  Cathay; 
but  a  trilling  eireunistanco  turned  bis  energies  to  a 
AvboUy  different  subject.  "A  iteece  of  a  blaeke  stone, 
nuieli  lyko  to  a  seacole  in  colouiv,"  wbicb  he  bad 
brought  back,  was  [tronouuced  to  contain  gold. 

Immediately  there  \v'as  great  excitement  in  London. 
I)r(!ams  of  an  Arctic  VA  Dorado,  curiously  enough  real- 
ized more  than  tbi'ce  bundred  yeai'S  later  in  the 
Klondike,  fired  the  imagination,  'i'lierci  was  no  trouble 
about  raiding  money  for  a  second  voyage.  l*^verybody 
was  anxi'.ms  to  bold  sbares  in  a  new  expedition  to  be 
sent  out  in  the  following  year;  no  longer  to  se*dc  a  pas- 
sago  to  China,  for  where  was  tbe  use  of  going  so  far, 
when  tbe  wealtb  of  tbe  Indies  was  to  Ik;  had  for  the 
gathering?  To  bring  home  a  cargo  of  the  precious  ore 
was  its  object. 

So  soon  as  the  season  allowed,  in  loTT,  Frobisher 
sailed  again,  not  now  with  two  pitiful  little  craft,  but 
witb  "one  tall  sbip[)e  of  ber  ^[ajesties,"  the  "Aid,"  of 
two  bundred  tons, —  for  l^li/.abcth  herself  was  con- 
cerned in  this  venture,  —  besides  tbe  "Michael"  and 
the  "Gabriel."  The  dream  of  gold  bad  attracted  a 
nund)or  of  gentlemen  adventurers  who  sailed  with 
Frobisiier. 


w. 


214 


The  World's  Discoverers 


!    I    I 


The  iiisti'ucUons  were  specific  not  to  pay  heed  to  the 
piissiige  to  (Jatliay,  but  to  liiuliiig  and  gathering  the 
[ji-ecious  "ore/'  Of  this  stuff  thoy  found  plenty  lying 
on  the  islands  of  the  Labrador  coast,  and  tlieir  hearts 
were  gladdened. 

Shortly  afterwards  Frohisher  attempted  a  piece  of 
treachery  which  came  nigh  ccoUng  him  dearly.  His 
[)lan  was  to  allure  two  of  the  natives  with  toys-,  then  to 
seize  them,  and  let  one  go  with  a  lot  of  presents,  as  an 
evidence  of  good-will,  while  he  would  keep  the  other 
for  an  interi>reter.  Uis  scheme  did  not  work  very  well. 
When  he  and  a  companio'.x  had  met  two  of  the  natives 
and  exchanged  gif^^s,  at  a  signal  each  grabbed  his  man. 
But  tlie  gi'ound  under  foot  was  slippery  with  snow,  and 
the  two  heathens  wriggled  and  struggleu  until  they 
escaped  from  their  Christian  friends.  Then  they  quickly 
got  their  bows  and  arrows  and  chased  them  ignomini- 
ously  to  their  boats.  The  two  Englishmen  were  fain  to 
take  to  their  heels,  as  they  were  unarmed,  and  to  escape 
with  no  greater  injury  than  a  wound  received  by  Fro- 
])isher,  which  i.  erfcred  with  his  sitting  down  for  some 
time  afterward.  In  the  mean  time  the  men  in  the 
boats  had  come  to  the  rescue  and  fired  a  shot  which 
fi'ighlcucd  the  savages  and  made  them  stop,  turn,  and 
run  away.  'I'hen  "a  good  footman,  uncund)ered  with 
any  furniture  [armor],  having  only  a  dagger  at  his  back, 
overtook  oiu'  of  them,  and  being  a  Cornish  man  and  a 
good  wrastler,  shewed  his  companiim  such  a  Cornish 
trick,  that  he  made  his  sides  ache  against  the  ground 
for  a  month  after."  So  the  poor  fellow  was  taken 
after  all. 


Frobisher's  Fancied  Discoveries        215 

The  next  day  tlioy  laiulcd  on  an  islaiul  where  "all  the 
sands  and  clifl's  did  so  g-li.^ter,  that  it  seemed  all  to  be 
gold;  but  it  [)roved  no  better  than  l)laek-lead  and  veri- 
fied the  proverb,  '  All  is  not  gold  that  (jlittcrcth.''  "  Well 
would  it  have  been  for  them  if  they  had  always  borne 
this  in  mind. 

A  few  days  later  they  found  a  mine  of  silver  (!). 
They  did  not  bother  themselves  with  it,  however,  but 
went   on  gathering  "gold  ore.'' 

While  the  vessels  were  being  loaded  with  the  pre- 
cious stuff,  an  exploring  party  found  I'limistakable  traees 
of  their  five  lost  countrymen,  in  various  articles  of 
English  ap[)arel.  They  hastened  to  carry  the  news  to 
the  "Aid,"  and  at  onee  measures  were  devised  to  com- 
municate with  the  poor  fellows,  if  they  were  alive. 
The  next  day,  therefore,  one  party  marched  overland 
towards  their  destination,  while  another,  going  around 
by  boat,  was  intended  to  cut  off  the  retreat  of  the 
natives.  Alas!  when  they  came  to  the  spot,  the  Eskimo 
had  vanished,  tents  and  all.  Some  of  the  men,  how- 
ever, mounting  a  hill,  espied  some  tents  in  a  valley 
near  a  creek,  by  the  seaside.  It  was  determined  to  sur- 
round this  compan.y,  if  possible,  and  capture  them, 
lint  the  natives  launched  two  canoes  and  headed  for  the 
siM.  Then  the  soldieis  on  land  fired  their  guns.  The 
iiu'n  in  tiie  boats,  at  this  signal,  rowed  out  cpiickly  from 
their  concealment  and  cut  otf  the  savages'  escajie  to  the 
sea.  The  latter  then  landed  on  a  [)oint,  where  they 
made  so  desperate  a  resistance  that  the  foreigners  called 
tlie  })1  ice  Bloody  Point.  The  poor  wretches  fought  as 
long  as  their  arrows  lasted,  even  plucking  out  the  Eng- 


2l6 


The  World's  Discoverers 


lisli  iirrows  from  their  bodies  and  shooting  them  baek, 
""And  when  they  found  they  were  mijrtally  wounded, 
being  ignorant  what  merey  meanetli,  with  deadly  fury 
they  east  themselves  headlong  from  off  the  roeks  into 
the  sea,  lest  their  enemies  should  reeeive  glory  or  prey 
of  their  dead  bodies,  for  they  supposed  us  belike  to 
be  eannibals."  One  Englishman  was  dangerously 
wounded.  Five  or  six  of  the  savages  were  slain.  All 
the  rest  escaped,  except  two  women.  One  of  these, 
being  old  and  ugly,  her  captors  thought  to  be  a  devil  or 
witch,  and  very  prudently  let  her  go.  The  other  had 
a  young  child  strap[)ed  to  her  baek.  The  little  one  was 
found  to  be  wounded  in  the  arm,  and  the  surgeon 
applied  some  salves.  But  the  mother,  "not  acquainted 
with  such  kind  of  surgery,  plucked  those  salves  away, 
and  by  continual  licking  with  her  own  tongue,  not 
nuich  unlike  our  dogs,  healed  up  the  chihl's  arm." 

After  this  desperate  encounter  the  Englishmen  con- 
cluded that,  in  view  of  the  natives'  "ravenous  and 
bloody  disposition  in  eating  any  kind  of  raw  ilesli  or 
carrion,  howsoever  stinking,"  it  was  ])iobable  that  they 
had  slain  and  devoured  their  missing  countrymen,  and 
it  would  be  a  waste  of  time  to  seek  them  further. 
"  Having  now  got  a  woman  captive  for  the  comfort  of" 
their  man,  —  they  do  not  seem  to  have  thought  how 
these  poor  creatures  were  probably  grieving  for  their 
kinsfolk, — the  Englishmen  watched  the  meeting  with 
great  interest.  Here  follo\\.s  a  very  jjretty  desci'iption 
of  i^ :  "At  their  fii-st  encountering  they  beheld  each 
otlier  very  wistly  a  good  space,  without  speech  or  word 
uttered,  with  great  change  of  color  and  counter.ance,  us 


Frobisher's  Fancied  Discoveries        217 

thoiigli  it  S(H'ino(l  tlm  griof  iiiid  disdiiiii  of  tlicir  (';ii)tivity 
liiul  taken  away  the  use  of  their  tongues.  The  woman 
at  tlie  first  very  suddenly,  as  thougli  she  disdained  or 
regarded  not  the  man,  turned  away  and  began  to  sing, 
as  tliough  sIk!  minded  another  matter.  I>ut  being  agiiin 
brought  together,  tlie  man  l)rolve  nj)  tlio  silence  liist, 
and  witli  stern  and  staid  (!ountenanee,  began  to  tell  a 
long  solenni  tale  to  the  woman.  Wherennto  she  gave 
good  hearing  and  interrupted  him  nothing  till  he  had 
linished.  Afterwards,  being  grown  into  more  familiar 
acquaintanee  by  speech,  they  were  turned  together,  so 
that  I  think  the  one  would  hardly  have  lived  without 
the  comfort  of  the  other."  These  poor  unfort'^nates 
became  very  close  friends,  and  the  Wf)man  teu'^n  L.m' 
companion  in  misery  with  true  womanly  devotion,  clean- 
ing their  cabin,  caring  for  him  when  he  was  seasick,  and 
preparing  food  for  him. 

The  explorers  soon  witnessed  another  instance  of  the 
strong  human  feeling  of  the  despised  natives.  Some  of 
them  came  near  and  made  signals  for  a  parley,  ""{(^ 
entreat,  as  it  seemed,  for  the  restitution  oi  the  woman 
and  child  which  had  been  taken  and  bioimht  away/' 
Frobisher,  having  placed  the  woman  where  she  could  be 
seen  by  her  countrymen,  went  to  talk  with  lli"'.n 
through  the  interpreter.  "This  cajitive,  at  his  first 
encoun.ter  of  his  friends,  fell  so  out  into  tears  that  he 
could  not  S[)eak  a  word  in  a  great  space."  When  be 
was  able  to  control  his  emotions,  "he  talked  at  full  willi 
his  companions,  and  bestowed  upon  them  such  toys  and 
trifles  as  we  had  given  him;  whei-eby  we  noted  that  they 
are  very  kind  one  to  another  and  greatly  sorrowful   for 


It 


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2l8 


The  World's  Discoverers 


the  loss  of  tlicir  friends."  The  result  of  the  palaver 
was  that  the  Eskimo  declared  that  the  missing  English- 
men were  alive  and  well.  On  Frobisher's  promising 
that,  so  soon  a3  they  were  produced,  he  would  release 
his  prisoners  and  give  handsome  presents  besides,  the 
savages  said  they  would  go  at  once  and  fetch  them, 
hohling  up  three  fingers  and  pointing  to  the  sun,  to 
intimate  that  they  would  return  within  three  days.  But 
the  missing  men  never  were  seen  again  by  their 
countrymen. 

The  season  was  now  growing  lat .,  the  vessels  were 
freighted  with  about  two  hundred  tons  of  ore,  and  the 
men  were  worn  out  with  the  labor  of  digging  and  carry- 
ing it  aboaid.  Therefore  it  was  resolved  to  sail  for 
home.  On  reaching  England,  the  delusive  ore  was 
locked  away,  some  in  Bristol  Castle,  and  some  in  the 
Tower  of  London. 

The  reputed  diy':.overy  of  the  Northwest  Passage  made 
Frol)islier  famous.  The  added  fame  of  finding  inex- 
liaustible  mineral  wealth  in  a  region  known  only  to 
liimseU"  and  his  shi[)mates  made  him  tlie  hero  of  the  day. 
Honors  were  lavished  on  him.  Elizabeth  was  all 
graciousness  to  the  captain  wliose  enterprise  liad  opened 
a  prospect  of  fabulous  riches,  such  as  would  put  her 
on  a  footing  of  ecpiality  with  her  brother-in-law  and  most 
hearty  hater,  Philip  of  Spain.  Hardly  was  the  pciilous 
stuff  which  he  had  brought  home  safely  stored  under 
four  locks,  the  ke3'S  of  which  were  held  by  Frobisher 
and  three  other  persons,  tlian  pre[)arations  were  begun 
for  sending  out  an  ex[)edition  on  the  grandest  scale  in 
the  following  year.     An  elaborate  plan  was  prepared. 


Frobisher's  Fancied  Discoveries        219 


A  strong  fort  of  tiinljer,  to  be  carried  out  in  sections, 
was  designed  to  house  a  liundrcd  men  who  were  to  be 
left  in  possession  of  Meta  Incognita  (the  Unknown 
(joal),  as  her  Majesty  was  pleased  to  call  the  newly 
discovered  region  (the  southern  shore  of  liatlin  Land). 

In  the  spring  a  fleet  of  fifteen  vessels  mustered  for  the 
voyage.  Of  these  twelve  were  designed  to  return  "  with 
their  loading  of  gold  ore,"  while  the  remainder  should 
winter,  under  the  orders  of  the  captains  in  charge  of  the 
permanent  occupation.  Of  the  whole  fleet  Frobisher 
was  admiral,  with  Captain  York  as  vice-admiral.  Two 
of  the  vessels  were  our  little  friends  the  "Oabriel"  and 
the  "Michael,"  who,  it  seems,  had  not  yet  got  enough 
of  being  buffeted  among  ice-floes. 

The  fleet  sailed  on  the  last  day  of  May  and  soon 
overhauled  a  small  bark  whose  crew  had  been  so  cruelly 
handled  by  French  rovers  that  the  survivors,  wounded 
and  starving,  could  scarcely  move  hand  or  foot.  Fro- 
lusher  supplied  their  needs  and  sent  them  on  their  way. 
Incidents  like  this  serve  to  show  how  lawless  was  the 
life  of  the  seas  in  those  days.  Off  the  Irish  coast  they 
fell  in  with  "a  great  current  from  out  of  the  south- 
w^'st,"  whicli  carrieu  them  a  point  out  of  tlieir  course. 
Til  is  current  seemed  to  continue  towards  Norway  and 
the  northeast.  Tiiey  shrewdly  suiniised  that  "this  is 
the  same  which  the  Portugals  meet  at  Ca})0  de  liuena 
S[)eranza "  (Cape  of  Good  IIo[)e),  and  that  "  thence  it 
crosses  to  the  great  Bay  of  Mexico,  whence  it  is  forced 
to  strike  back  again  towards  the  northeast."  Thus 
they  correctl}'  conjectured  tiie  course  of  the  Gulf 
Stream,  which  comes  to  us  from  the  African  coast. 


K  4.1  ^ 

1  •' 


ii 


ill 


:    t  ; 


220 


The  World's  Discoverers 


Lamling  in  soiitliern  GrecnliURl,  "the  Generiil ''  took 
[)o.ssession  in  the  Queen's  name.  The  Englishmen  saw 
in  tlieir  canoes  some  of  the  people,  "  very  like  tliose  of 
Meta  Incognita."  In  the  deserted  tents  they  found 
some  articles,  such  as  a  box  of  nails,  some  red  herrings, 
and  boards  of  lir,  which  seemed  to  them  to  show  that 
tliese  savages  carried  on  trade  with  civilized  peo[)le. 
Tliey  evidently  never  had  heard  of  the  Norse  sagas, 
which  allirm  that  Scandinavians  had  reached  Green- 
land seven  hundred  years  earlier,  nor  of  the  undoubted 
intercourse  between  Iceland  and  Greenland. 

One  day  they  sailed  into  a  shoal  of  whales  as  nu- 
merous and  as  playful  as  if  they  had  been  porpoises, 
and  the  "  Salamander  "  ran  full  tilt  upon  one,  with  a 
great  shock. 

Now  they  Ijegan  to  experience  much  trouble  with  the 
ice,  and  it  was  very  ditlicult  for  the  vessels  to  keep 
together,  the  ice  sometimes  closing  a  lead  through  which 
the  foremost  ones  had  passed  before  those  in  the  rear 
could  go  through.  The  "  Dennis  "  was  caught  and 
crushed.  She  fired  a  gun,  and  rescuers  hastened  to  her 
in  l)oats,  in  time  to  save  the  crew  before  she  went  down, 
carrying  with  her  a  part  of  the  projected  house. 

Soon  it  l)ecame  evident  that  tliey  were  not  in  the 
supposed  passage  which  Frobisher  had  called  by  his 
own  name,  but  were  in  a  wide  channel,  having  a  strong 
westerly  current.  Thus  Frobisher  had  become  uncon- 
sciously the  discoverer  of  tlie  straits  later  called  after 
Hudson.  He  insisted,  however,  that  they  were  in  the 
right  course,  and  boldly  led  on.  He  felt  that  he  was 
now  in  a  likelier  opening  for  the  Northwest  Passage, 


ler 
,'11, 

ho 
lis 
nii;' 
1)11- 
U'l- 
the 
v;is 


Frobisher's  Fancied  Discoveries        221 

and  he  aftcvvards  said  that,  had  he  not  been  encum- 
bered with  the  care  of  the  fleet,  lie  woukl  have  saih'd 
through  to  the  South  Sea  and  opened  the  route  to  China. 
l>ut  gokl  was  now  the  object  of  liis  elforts,  and  lie 
stniLTirled  to  recover  the  entrance  of  what  he  had  named 
Frobisher's  Straits.  This  was  in  reality  only  a  deep  in- 
let called  Cumberland  Sound.  After  about  a  fortnight 
he  succeeded  and  brought  the  most  of  his  ships  into  it. 

It  would  be  a  long  story  to  tell  of  the  struggles  with 
ice  and  storms,  of  the  scattering  of  the  fleet,  and  of  tlie 
sickness  and  discontent  among  the  crews. 

At  last  all  the  ships  were  assembled.  Hut  the  season 
was  late,  and  no  time  was  to  be  lost.  The  gentlemen 
and  soldiers  were  mustered,  tke  sailors  were  set  to  dis- 
charging the  vessels,  the  miners  were  put  to  digging  ore, 
and  the  victuals,  tents,  etc.,  were  collected  on  the  island. 
On  August  2  general  orders  regiilutiiig  the  encampment 
were  published  with  solemn  sound  of  trumpet. 

The  first  disai)pointmeiit  came  in  the  discovery  that 
the  projected  fort  could  not  be  built.  Part  of  it  had 
gone  to  the  bottom  of  the  ocean  with  the  ''Dennis." 
Oilier  parts  had  been  used  as  fenders  in  the  fight  with 
ice  and  had  been  broken.  Enough  i?mained  to  build  a 
smaller  house*  but  the  car[)enter  and  masons  said  they 
would  need  eigkt  or  nine  weeks  for  it,  whereas  barely 
half  that  time  remained  before  the  close  of  the  season. 
Therefore  the  project  of  leaving  a  party  in  permanent 
occu[)ation  was  abandoned. 

During  all  this  time  very  I'ttle  had  been  seen  of  the 
natives.  They  were  no  doubt  overawed  by  the  sight 
of  so  many  ships,  and  Frobisher  was  disappointed  in  his 


•  Hi 


r 


M 


ii  :.; 


;!-;i 


T'll 


:  W 


i   I 


2.''- 


; 


L!  ■  ^il 


222 


The  World's  Discoverers 


henevolent  i)urpose  of  capturing  some  of  them  and 
taking  them  back  to  England.  Captain  Fenton,  how- 
ever, caused  a  house  to  be  erected  of  stones,  properly 
cemented,  for  use  the  next  year.  "  And  the  Ixjtter  to 
allure  those  brutish  and  uncivil  people  to  courtesy, 
against  otlier  times  of  our  coming,  we  left  therein  divers 
of  our  country  toys,  as  bells  and  knives,  wherein  they 
specially  delight,  pictures  of  men  on  horseback,  looking- 
glasses,  whistles,  and  pipes;  also  an  oven,  and  bread 
left  baked  therein  for  them  to  see  and  taste.  Also  here 
we  sowed  i)eas,  corn,  and  other  grain,  to  prove  [test] 
the  fruitfulness  of  the  soil  against  the  next  year."  It 
would  be  interesting  to  know  what  they  expected  to 
find  growing  after  ten  months  of  ice  and  snow. 

The  unused  timber  was  buried.  A  curious  circum- 
stance about  it  is,  that  nearly  three  hundred  years  later 
an  American  explorer,  Captain  Hall,  heard  a  tradition 
among  the  Eskimo  that  the  five  men  left  by  Frobisher 
on  his  first  voyage  were  not  killed,  and  that  they  dug 
up  this  timber,  built  a  vessel,  and  sailed  away  for  home. 
If  they  did,  they  perished  at  sea.  But  there  is  not 
anything  improbable  in  the  story.  A  party  of  French- 
men left  on  the  Carolina  coast,  in  1563,  actually  built 
a  vessel  out  of  green  timber  and  in  it  reached  France, 
after  horrible  sufferings. 

The  lading  was  now  complete,  and  the  fleet  sailed  for 
home,  which  all  reached  in  sjifety  about  the  first  of 
October,  some  in  one  phice  and  some  in  another. 

Thus  ended  this  famous  and  costly  enterprise.  In  it 
forty  men  perished  and  a  large  amount  of  money  was 
wasted.     The  seventeen    hundred  tons  of  iron  pyrites 


■ 


Frobisher's  Fancied  Discoveries 


22 


brought  to  Engliind  diil  not  pay  the  expense  of  niining 
and  importing  it,  and  the  worthy  purpose  ot  diseover- 
ing  the  Northwest  Passage  was  lost  sight  of  in  a  crazy 
niining  scheme.  The  net  gain  of  the  whole  disastrous 
business  was  a  slight  increase  of  knowledge  of  the 
region  about  Hudson  Strait. 


1 


m 


■\ }' 


224 


The  World's  Discoverers 


CIL\lTi:il  xxir 


,  1 


JOHN    DAVIS  S   EXPLOUATIONS 


T1     ■■ 

i     I 


III 


Fuonism:u\s  and  (iilbcrt's  voyages  liad  l)roTig!it  only 
disappointniont  to  tlio.se  intcivsted.  Nevcrtlick'ss,  the 
niorclumts  of  London  still  beliuvud  in  the  likelihood  of 
the  discovery  of  a  northwest  passage.  The  former  ven- 
tures, they  said,  had  been  diverted  from  their  true  i)ur- 
pose  by  a  vain  search  after  gold  and  silver  mines.  Now 
it  was  determined  to  send  out  a  new  expedition,  whose 
sole  purpose  should  be  that  of  discovery.  Accordingly, 
in  158;"),  John  Davis  sailed  with  two  small  barks,  the 
"Sunshine,"  of  lifty,  and  the  "Moonshine,"  of  thirty- 
five  tons,  and  forty-two  men  between  them.  With  so 
slender  equi[)ment  our  heroic  ancestoi's  were  wont  to 
make  their  way  boldly  into  uncharted  seas,  full  of  peril 
to  ships  and  men. 

July  10,  off  the  southern  coast  of  r«reeidand,  in  a 
dense  fog,  they  heard  a  "mighty  great  roaring  of  the 
sea,"  as  if  it  were  breaking  on  some  shore.  On  nearer 
examination  in  the  boats,  the  noise  was  found  to  come 
from  the  crashing  and  grinding  together  of  liuge  masses 
of  ice.  The  next  day  the  fog  lifted,  and  they  discovered 
a  high  and  rugged  coast,  one  mountain  rising,  as  it 
seemed,  above  the  clouds.  The  tops  were  covered  with 
snow,  and  the  shore  was  beset  with  ice  extending  a  full 
league  into  the  sea.     Davis  called  it  appropriately  the 


II 


John  Davis's  Explorations 


225 


Land  of  Dcsoliition.  Ilicy  stood  aloiit,''  tlu'  (-oiist  lor 
soiiio  days  and  canio  to  a  chistoi"  of  islands,  anioiij^ 
wliit'li  they  anchored  in  a  sound  wliicli  the  ('a[)laiM  calU-d 
GillH'i't's  Sound,  the  site  of  [\\{'.  iikmIcim  ^huaviaa  mis- 
sion of  (Jodtliaah.  A  niultitU(h'  of  natives  approached 
in  tlieir  canoes,  at  the  lirst  very  distrustfully,  "niaUint; 
a  lauu'utahle  noyse,  as  we  tlioUL;lit,  with  ^'reat  oulcryes 
and  sci'eechin^s,  so  tliat  we  iIioui;Iit  it  liad  hene  tlu^ 
howling''  of  A'olvus."  The  uuisiciaiis  then  heifau  to  i)lay 
and  tlie  sailors  to  dance  and  make  tokens  of  friendship. 
The  simple  and  harudess  natives  soon  midcrstood  their 
meaning  and  came  flocking  around,  so  that  at  one  time 
thirty-seven  of  their  canoes  weri;  alongside  the  strange 
craft.  Soon  the  friendliest  relations  were  estahlishcd 
with  the  "savages."  The  sailors  houglit  from  them 
whatever  they  fancied, — their  canoes,  clothing,  hows, 
spears,  and  the  like.  "They  are  very  ti'actahle  people," 
says  the  chronicle,  "void  of  craft  or  douhle-dealing,  and 
easie  to  be  brought  to  any 'jivilitie  or  good  oich-r:  but 
wee  judge  them  to  be  Idolaters  and  to  worship  the 
Sunne,"  —  a  not  unnatural  object  of  adoration  for  an 
ignorant  people  in  such  a  climate.  Another  fault  the 
English  were  to  discover  in  time,  one  that  caused  no 
little  trouble:  they  were  des[)erately  thievish. 

Our  adventurers  stood  over  to  the  northwest  and 
sitjhted  land  aij^ain.  They  wei'c  now  on  tlie  western 
shore  of  the  strait  which  still  bears  their  leader's  name. 
They  saw  "whole  cliffs  of  such  oare  "  as  had  fooled 
Frobisher.  But  the  day  of  that  delusion  was  jiast. 
Under  a  fine  mountain,  which  they  called  Mount  Italeigh, 

they  sav/  four  animals  which  they  took  to  be  goats  or 

15 


'II'; 


3  ;  . 


li-'^ 


-^1. 


M 


tvi 


t;i> 


1.  I    -.1  s 
■  I      i 


:t'r 


I 

i 

! 


PI       Ml 


1 1 


226 


I'he  World's  Discoverers 


wolves.  They  manned  tlie  liOiits  iiiid  went  towards 
them,  wlien  they  found  the  animals  to  Ix;  "white  hcares 
of  a  monstrous  hi^nesse."  Haj^er  for  fresh  meat  and 
for  sport,  they  attacked  the  heasts  and  .uiceeedcd  in 
killing  three.  The  next  day  they  killed  another,  Imt 
only  after  a  savage  light,  lie  was  a  monster,  his  foic- 
foot  fourteen  inehes  aeross. 

''The  loth  we  heard  dogs  lioule  on  the  shoarc,  whieh 
we  thought  had  Ijcen  Wolves,  and  therefore  we  went  on 
shoare  to  kil  them.  When  we  came  on  lande,  the  dogs 
came  presently  to  our  l)oate  very  gently,  yet  we  thought 
they  came  to  pray  upon  us,  and  therefore  we  shot  at 
them  and  killed  two:  and  ahout  the  neeke  of  one  of 
them  we  found  a  letheren  coller,  whereupon  we  knew 
tliem  to  he  tame  dogs.  They  were  like  mastives,  with 
priekt  cares  and  long  hush  tayles."  The  Eskimo  dogs 
either  do  not  or  cannot  hark,  hut  only  howl. 

Though  Davis  had  not  found  the  Northwest  Passage, 
he  had  made  important  discoveries.  Besides,  the  quan- 
tity of  skins  of  reindeer  and  other  animals  which  he 
brought  hack  raised  the  hope  that  a  profitable  trallic 
would  be  established.  He  was  therefore  sent  out  a 
second  time,  a  larger  vessel,  the  "Mermaid,"  being- 
added  to  his  command. 

In  this  voyage  much  progress  was  made  in  the  knowl- 
edge of  those  regions.  Thei'c  were,  however,  deplorable 
troubles  with  the  natives,  brought  on  by  their  stealing 
an  anchor,  cutting  a  cable,  and  doing  other  injuries. 
Davis  tried  to  win  them  over,  he  says,  by  kindness;  but 
they  requited  it  by  slinging  stones  at  his  boats.  Then 
he  ordered  his  men  to  lire.     It  is  sad  to  read  of  the  kid- 


John  Davis's  Explorations  227 

liip^jing  of  11  nativo  who  hud  coiiio  011  hoiinl  to  ainiiige 
ii  tnu'o,  uiul  of  tlie  [xior  I'iciitiins's  grief.  lie  was 
hrouglit  away"witli  heavy  eheni"  and  later  died.  In 
till!  ineantimo  his  etmiitrynu'ii  liau  avenged  liini,  lor 
they  lired  upon  the  Englislinieii  from  an  aniltiisli  and 
killed  two.  At  times  the  exi>lorers  I'oniid  it  very  hot, 
and  were  "nnudi  tronhled  with  a  Hie  which  is  called 
Miiskeeta,  for  they  did  sting  grievously."  More  than 
once  during  this  voyage  Davis  was  in  great  hopes  that 
he  had  discovered  the  long-desired  passage. 

At  its  conclusion  he  wrote  that  he  had  now  gained  so 
nnieli  knowledge  of  the  northwest  part  of  the  world, 
that  ho  was  assured  "  the  passage  must  he  in  one  of  four 
places,  or  else  not  at  all."  On  his  third  voyage  he  ex- 
plored yet  other  parts  of  the  coast  and  again  had  hloody 
affrays  with  the  natives,  of  whom  three  were  killed  at 
one  time,  llis  own  resolute  purpose  not  to  ahandon  tlie 
search  was  shown  when  his  ship  was  pronounced  to  ho 
in  a  very  critical  condition,  and  many  of  the  nie'»  '.ore 
afraid  to  remain  in  her.  The  captain  stoutly  announced 
that  he  was  "determined  rather  to  end  his  life  with 
credite  than  to  return  with  infamie  and  disgrace'." 
Others  caught  his  spirit,  and  all  agreed  to  stay  hy 
the  ship  and  continue  the  voyage.  This  ended,  it  is 
needless  to  say,  with  the  mysterious  pat-'sage  still 
undiscovered. 

That  dream,  liowever,  continued  to  haunt  the  imagi- 
nations of  Hritish  seiimen,  and  voyage  ii'ter  voyage  was 
made.  The  names  of  Hall,  Hudson,  liafhn,  Mutton, 
Fox,  and  James,  all  exi)lorers  of  the  Northwest,  are 
associated  on  our  maps  with  its  geography. 


PI 

p  i 

uikn 

.*  J 


I     ,! 


{< 


1 


228 


The  World's  Discoverers 


CIIAl'TFJl  XXIII 

Till':  si:a-kin(;s  of  (juki:x  KLiz.vniyni's  timk 

Tllic  ii!^<'  (if  Kli/iibt'Lli  was  ail  aij^c  ol'  awakciiiii^^.  'I'lie 
<jui('ki'iu'(l  inti'llcct  hioiiLilit  IoilIi  giants:  in  the  licld  of 
thoiiglit,  Sliakcspt'aiv,  IJacoii,  and  their  comju'cis;  in 
the  Held  of  actioD,  (JillK'rt,  Raleigh,  Ilavvkiiis,  Fro- 
bishei',  (ireiiviUe,  Cavendish,  and.  greatest  of  all, 
Drake.  Never  |)erlia[»s  in  all  history  have  so  iiiaiiy  men 
illnstrions  l)y  llieir  (UhmIs  iiio\cd  together  on  the  stage 
dnring  a  single  short  span.  Their  work  covered  only 
ahont  twenty  years,  hut  its  elTects  will  lie  feh  as  long 
us  the  I'iiiglish  nation  lasts.  'They  found  their  country 
an  insignilieaiit  naval  power,  cnntiiied  witiiin  the  narrow 
.seas  and  far  hehind  tlu!  Latin  races  in  knowledge  and 
in  ex]>lorati()n  and  traile.  They  left  it  on  the  highroad 
to  the  mastery  of  tlu;  (■(•"an.  Those  few  men  Aiihin 
that  shoil  time  lowert'd  Spain's  haughty  crcM,  threw 
open  all  seas  to  I'jiglish  vessel,-',  and  laid  the  iiroad  I'onn- 
dations  of  the  IJritish  I'hu])ir(  , 

(Jreat  ignorance  |»i'"ceded  them.  .\mei'iea,  it  was 
coniidently  said,  is  a  great  island,  h((Unded  on  the  north 
hy  l''rohishei''s  and  on  the  south  hy  Magellivn's  Straits. 
South  of  {\iv.  latter  a  vast  continent  was  ^<et  (htwn, 
labeled  Terra  Australis  (Southern  Land),  and  iioldly 
descrihi'd  as  fruitful  ;:nd  pleasant.  This  d(»es  not  ;:nr- 
j)rise  us,  when  wo  rt'mc'nd)or  how  recent  was  all  nuui- 
tiniu  disco  very. 


1  'r 


I 


'I 

■■in 


I 


SIR  WALTKR  RALEIGH  SIR  nUMPHREY  filLBEHT 

QUEEN   EUZAIIK.TH 
SIR  JOHN   HAWKINS  SIR    I  HuMAS   CAVENDISH 


ill 


i 


I  it 


IT,' 


m: 


' 


:l- 


^, 


I 


Sea-Kings  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  Time     231 

WIk'Ii  at  last  the  awakciiins^  of  England  camo,  tlu' 
newly  translated  aceoiiiits  of  Sj);uiis]i  and  Poriiignese 
voyages,  mingling  with  the  ohl  legends  of  Mareo  Polo 
and  Ma\indeville,  prodneed  a  ferment  in  the  English 
mind.  It  was  as  if  snddeiily  the  old  world  of  romanee 
had  thrown  open  its  portals,  and  mortal  (iyes  eanght 
visions  in  whieh  things  aetnal  and  thin<;s  faneied,  real 
creatnres  and  impossible  nuynsters,  men,  giants,  and 
demons,  were  strangely  mingled.  Ont  of  this  excited 
state  of  mind. grew  those  heroic  ventures,  inspired  by 
an  enthusiasm  like  that  of  the  Crusades,  that  enlarged 
the  s[)here  of  knowledge  and  ultimately  gave  England 
the  empire  of  the  seas.  They  were  always  searching 
for  Cipango,  the  court  oi"  the  (ireat  Khan,  or  the  land 
of  Ophir.  Of  what  they  tound  the  inuuense  value  was 
not  undei'stood  till  long  afterwards. 

The  lirst  honor  of  discovery  belongs  to  the  Latin  race. 
The  astronomers  and  geographers  whose  ma[)s  guided 
the  infant  efforts  of  the  world  were  mainly  lUdians.  So, 
also,  were  many  of  tlu;  most  famous  navigators,  as 
Columbus,  Verrazano,  the  Cabots,  and  Vespucci.  In 
practical  exi)loration  the  palm  belongs  to  the  Portu- 
guese, who,  in  the  language  of  an  old  writer,  "  lirst 
began  to  open  the  Windows  of  the  World,  to  let  it  see 
itselfe." 

Next  in  honcn*  come  the  Spaniards,  whose  adven- 
turous spirit  i)rom[)ted  some  of  the  most  daring  enter- 
prises of  that  heroic  age.  Aftt>r  them  eaiiie  tlie  French. 
They  early  entered  into  a  sh;irp  comitetition  witli  the 
Spaniards  for  the  possessi(>n  of  the  New  World.  Fi-an- 
cis  I.  sent  a  message  to  Charles  V.,  saying,  "You  and 


(,•  . 


I 
II 


li 

Ifhf 


-I 

!   ■ 

I 

i  . 


!        j 


m 

hi 

I    1: 


i !  ■ !{ 


232 


The  World's  Discoverers 


if 


!• 


tlic  Kiiij^  ol"  l*()rtiii4';il  liiivo  divided  tlic  woild  lu'twocn 
you.  Show  nic,  I  [tray  you,  the  will  of  our  fulher 
Aduui,  that  I  may  judge  whether  he  has  really  cousti- 
tuted  you  his  unive:>al  heirs."  'I'o  uiakt*  good  his  (daiin 
to  a  share,  he  des[)atehed  Verrazaiio  oii  that  voyage  of 
ex[)loi'atiou  whii-h  wc;  have  already  sketehed,  uuder  the 
guise  of  seekiug  a  northwest  j)assage,  hut  really  to  lay 
the  basis  of  a  claim  to  the  vast  traet  of  tlu;  New  Woi'ld 
strelehiug  northward  from  Alexieo,  the  latter  being 
already  in  S[)anish  hands.  In  an  earlier  voyage  this 
bold  rover  had  taken  two  of  Cortez's  treasure-laden 
ships  from  Mexieo  and  another  from  St.  Domingo.  It 
was  this  splendid  capture  that  stimulated  Francis  to 
send  him  out  to  get  a  share  of  the  New  Woi'ld,  whence 
all  this  wealth  came.  In  a  third  voyage  the  bold  Vlov- 
entine  met  his  doom.  He  died,  l)ut  his  discoveries 
lived;  and  in  virtue  of  them  France  claimed  title  to 
all  North  America  above  Mexico.  The  French  colo- 
nists of  Oarolina  and  Florida  and  Canada  called  the 
country  New  France. 

In  time  England  would  plant  her  foot  on  the  same  soil 
and  would  enter  on  a  long  rivaby  with  France,  ending 
oidy  with  the  trium[)hant  death  of  Wolfe  on  the  Heights 
of  Abraham. 

She  had  made  some  feeble  attempts,  as  we  have  seen, 
under  Henry  VHI.,  to  follow  uj)  the  achievement  of 
the  Cabcjts,  who  had  discovert-d  Newfoundland  in  1  I'.'T. 
It  may  be  that  lier  first  success  in  this  dir(!ction  det(>r- 
mined  the  bent  of  England.  At  all  events,  the  qnest 
of  a  northwest  passage'  has  always  been  a  special  ol)ject 
of  her  attention,  even  down  to  our  own  time. 


M  i 


' 


Sea-Kings  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  Time     233 

Tilt'  early  untoward  vi'ntuii's  in  that  (|iiai  tcr  wiTc  fol- 
lowed by  those  in  the  northeast  which  resulted  in  the 
e.stablishnienl  of  a  trade  witli  Kussia.  Then,  after  the 
failure  of  every  explorer  to  get  heyo'.ai  the  Kara  Sea. 
th(!  I'^nglish  mind  swung  hack  to  th(!  aorthwcst,  <  )ne  of 
those  who  deeply  pondered  the  suhjecl  was  Sii'  Ihini- 
l)hrev  ( filbert,  whose  voyages  and  untinieh  end  we  have 
already  sketehetl.  That  chivalrous  sold  had  read  and 
considered  everything  that  he  eould  liiul,  fi'oni  the  narra- 
tive of  Othere's  voyage,  in  Alfred's  time,  down  to  the 
tragic  death  of  W'illoughby,  in  his  own  day.  The  result 
was  a  lii'in  conviction  of  the  existence  of  "a  passr.ge  by 
the  northwest  to  Cathaya."'  'J'his  belief  he  published 
in  a  pam[)hlet,  in  loTlj.  Tlus  famous  treatise  lired  the 
imagination  of  many  a  daring  maiiner  and  gave  birth 
to  a  whole  school  of  intrepid  ex[)lorers,  extend"  ig  from 
his  time  down  to  our  own,  men  whose  expl  tits  haxc 
shed  lustre  on  the  story  and  whoso  names  a  c  \\ritten 
on  the  maps  of  the  frozen  Northwest.  (Jilbi'rt's  pam- 
phlet closed  with  these  ringing  words:  "lie  is  not 
woi'thy  to  live  at  all,  that  foi-  feare,  or  danger  of  death, 
shunneth  his  eountrev's  sei'vicc  and  his  own  honour; 
seeing  that  death  is  inevitalde ;  and  the  fan;e  of  vcitue 
immortall.  Wherefore  in  this  behalfe,  Mutare  vel  timere 
Sperno  "  —  "I  scorn  to  change  or  to  be  afraid."  In  his 
death,  as  we  have  seen,  he  lived  u[)  to  thiit  high  device. 

We  have  roughly  sketched  the  grou|>  of  great  sea- 
kings  who  made  Kli/.aiu'th's  reign  a  new  eia,  and  all  <»f 
whom,  save  only  Frobisher,  who  died  liu  shore  of  a 
wound  received  in  battle,  at  last  slejtt  beneath  the  seas 
the}    had    mastered       They  set  out  with  little  knowl- 


i  i  iH 


I 


>i 


I 


^;  f 


234 


The  World's  Discoverers 


edge,  but  with  hope  and  bouiulless  courage.  They 
did  heroic  deeds  and  founded  the  empire  whose  drum- 
beat folh)ws  tlie  sun  around  the  globe.  In  the  next 
chapter  we  shall  tell  the  story  of  the  most  famous  of 
them  all. 


j    ,^ 


bey 

un- 

ext 

of 


( 


The  English  Dragon 


^35 


CHAPTER  XXIV 


THE   ENGLISH   DllAGON 


While  Willoughby  was  freezing  on  the  desolate  coast 
of  Lapland,  and  Cliancelor  was  hobnobbing  with  Ivan 
the  Terrible  at  the  half-barbarous  Muscovite  court,  there 
was  a  boy  playing  about  the  ship-yard  at  Chatham  who 
was  destined,  amcng  other  splendid  achievements,  to 
realize  the  vision  of  Cathay  in  a  manner  of  which  not 
the  most  daring  Englishman  had  dreamed.  His  name 
was  Francis  Drake.  "  The  Dragon  "  the  Spaniards  later 
called  him,  taking  the  name  from  his  crest.  This  coat- 
of-arms,  borne  defiantly  in  many  a  daring  raid  by  sea 
and  land,  or  trailing  over  the  taffrail  of  the  great  rover's 
ship,  as  she  bounded  through  the  smoke  of  battle  like 
some  fierce  demon  to  seize  her  prey,  came  to  stand  in 
Spanish  eyes  for  all  that  was  terrible  and  ruthless.  To 
Lope  de  Vega,  the  poet  who  sailed  in  the  "Armada," 
tliis  dauntless  Bedouin  of  the  seas,  the  implacable  foe 
of  the  Roman  faith,  seemed  nothing  less  than  the  Dragon 
of  the  Hook  of  Revelation,  Satan.  Good  reason  enough 
the  boy  had  to  hate  the  Spaniards  and  their  religion. 
He  lived  in  stirring  times.  When  he  was  born  Henry 
VIII.  was  pushing  his  reforms.  These  found  little 
favor  among  the  country-folk,  who  always  cling  to  old 
beliefs  and  usages.     Holding  tenaciously  the  old  ways, 


m 


■m 


in  *■ 


[If 


'i 


!■      f 


\ 


!ilV 


236 


The  World's  Discoverers 


i;  f 


tl"'y  were  cspcciiilly  iii^t^n'icvcd  ut,  the  supijrcssioii  of  tlic 
iiinliiisltiics,  licciUisc  these  IkkI  lieeii,  tidni  liliu'  iliiliie- 
liMtii.il,  L;n(.(l  iVieiids  ol'  the  piMiriilid  had  stood  between 
them  and  llie  tyranny  of  Idgh-hanch'd  nobles. 

Drake's  family  were  zealous  Protestants.  After 
Ileniy's  death,  when  *lie  Protector  Somerset's  ill-jiid^-ed 
/.eal  kindled  the  smoulderinn"  discontent  of  the  peasantry 
into  a  l)la/e  of  relxdlion,  their  native  district  i^ww  too 
hot  foi- them.  Ilappilv,  I'lvmouth  was  near,  where  they 
Mere  snie  of  linding  jjlenty  of  sympathy,  uiul  where  they 
had  powerful  friends  and  kinsmen  in  tho  Hawkins 
family.  So  L,n'eat  wei'c  their  straits  that  they  were  "coni- 
jjcllcd  to  inhabit  in  the  hull  of  a  ship."  I'robably 
through  the  inlluence  of  William  Hawkins,  who  was  in 
favor  with  the  Protector,  they  were  given  the  use  of  a 
dismantled  vessel  of  tlu^  navy  Um  their  abode.  The 
head  of  the  family  was  appointed  P)ible-i'eader  to  the 
sailors  of  the  fleet  there  assend)led.  In  this  Innnble 
dwelling  several  of  the  children  were  born.  Theit'  were 
tw^elve  of  these  sturdy  boys.  The  most  of  them  "fol- 
lowed the  sea,"  and  he  who  made  the  name  famous 
Avrote.  "as  it  pleased  (Jod  to  give  them  a  li\ing  on  the 
watei'.  so  the  greatest  ])art  of  them  died  at  sea." 

Put  the  family's  worst  ti'ials  wei'c  yet  to  come.  Hith- 
erto  the\  had  lu'eii  befriended  l)y  the  ruling  ijowers.  A 
change  came  u  hen  a  ( "atholic  queen  ascended  the  throne, 
and  the  dissatisfaction  of  the  people  at  Abuy's  forth- 
coming mariiagc  w  ith  Philip  of  S])ain  burst  out  in  Sir 
Thomas  Wyatl's  Pebellion.  Tbe  South  and  West  were 
involved,  and  they  suffi-red  greatly  when  the  m(>yement 
WHS  .suppressed  and  savagely  punished.     In  Kent  alone 


ii'i 


SIR  FRANCIS  DRAKE 


I 


I 


The  English  Dragon 


39 


twenty-two  persons  were  hanged.  It  Is  not  to  be  sup- 
[)ose<l  tliiit  Driikc,  a  "hot  gospch'r,"  coukl  retain  his 
position  nnder  government  at  such  a  time.  IJu^onda 
(]oul)t  it  was  at  this  period  of  dire  extremity  that  ho 
a})prenticed  yonng  Francis  to  the  master  of  a  small  ves- 
sel trading  across  the  Channel  to  France  and  Holland. 
On  this  dingy  little  coaster,  in  hardship  and  penuiy, 
the  founder  of  Ih'itain's  naval  power  got  his  first  prac- 
tice in  handling  a  vessel.  But  the  hoy  brought  with 
him  a  passion  for  the  sea.  His  childhood  at  Flymouth 
was  the  opening  to  him  of  the  jtathway  of  destiny.  Wo 
can  imagine  the  sturdy  boy  in  his  floating  homo  an 
almost  amphibious  creature,  accustomed  to  watch  the 
incoming  and  retreating  tides,  learning  to  know  tho 
treacherous  sands  and  intricate  channels,  familiar  with 
boats,  gathering  from  old  seanien  precious  lore  as  to  tho 
winds  and  weather,  listening  eagerly  to  the  talcs  of 
bronzed  sea-dogs  who  had  braved  thi^  perils  of  far  oceans; 
feeding  in  his  soul  the  desire  of  adventure,  while  he  and 
his  playmates  fought  mimic  battles  with  snow-balls 
between  the  old  hulks. 

Plymouth  was  the  place  of  all  the  world  that  would 
most  nourish  such  spirit.  It  was  the  centre  of  an 
intensely  active  sea-life.  Whether  one  wished  to  sail 
up  the  Channel,  or  out  on  the  broad  Atlantic,  or  to  fish 
in  St.  George's  Channel,  or  to  follow  the  cod  u^)  to  the 
Iceland  coast,  Plymouth  was  the  place  to  start  from.  It 
was  the  last  port  for  an  out-going  and  the  iirst  for  an 
incoming  vessel.  Besides  being  a  centre  of  the  new 
religion,  for  the  sea-towns  and  London  held  its  warmest 
supporters,    Plymouth   was    a   favorite    rendezvous   of 


'1  ]] 


t>  I'. 


^ij 

240 


The  World's  Discoverers 


Itinitcs.  Lyin;^  there  secure,  Ll:"y  wiitclied  tho  Cliannel, 
reiidy  to  siiil  out  jiud  strike  ;i  prize,  like  a  liawk  swoop- 
\n>^  ujioii  a  (love.  Do  not  he  surprised  at  readiiii,'  of 
|)irales  swariiiirii,'  in  tli(!  C'lianiiel  and  liiidiii^  Iiospitaith^ 
eiiUM'taininent  iu  ICni^disli  ports.  We  do  not  mean 
ferocious  eut-tliroats,  such  as  those  wlioaftei'wards  sailed 
under  the  hhick  llaij  and  ina(h'  war  on  nu-rchant  ships  of 
every  nation.  These  men  were  far  removed  inch'cd  from 
the  tyjK'  of  Teach  and  .Moiifan  and  KidiL  Pirates  they 
were,  accoi'ihuL,''  to  the  hiw  of  nations,  hecause  they  hore 
no  coiMUiissioii  and  made  war  in  time  of  peace;;  hut  they 
were  prochicit  of  [x'cuhar  con(Utions. 

hruinine  a  .  ihiation  such  as  this:  Spain  dominatintj 
the  j^reator  part  (>f  I'Jii-ope  and  chiimingf,  un(h>r  the 
Pope's  fji'ant,  ahmi;  with  I'ortuufal,  exchisive  owner- 
ship of  the  wliole  New  Worhl;  crus!iin<^  the  life  out  of 
the  Netherlands;  estahlishiiiu^  the  Holy  liKiuisition  in 
her  ports,  with  power  to  seize  as  heretics  any  I'rotestant 
seamen  who  might  chance  to  t<mch  there,  to  throw  them 
into  dungeons,  to  torture  them,  and  to  condemn  tla-m  to 
row  as  slaves  in  the  j^allevs,  or  hurn  them  at  the  stake; 
the  Protestant  jjowers  scarcely  ahle  to  make  heatl  in  the 
tci-rihle  struggle  with  this  cruel  monstei':  Holland  trod- 
den under  foot  hy  iVlva  and  hleeding  at  eveiy  point, 
lu'r  <'hief  cities  in  the  enemy's  hands;  France  hostile  to 
Si)ain,  hut  equally  hostile  to  Protestantism  and  hurning 
its  converts;  little  England  alone  fairly  tranquil  and 
secure  within  her  ocean  girdle.  Consider,  further, 
conditions  which  made  l-ilizaheth  to  the  last  degree  loatii 
to  have  war  with  Philip  of  Spain.  Open  hostilities 
would  surely  kindle  the  haleful  fires  of  civil  war.     llcr 


Ur:i      ^ 


The  r^nglish  Dragon  241 

CiitlKilic  siilijccts,  still  ill  (lie  iniijoiity,  wmild  IVcl 
ItoMiid  to  oKcy  ii  niiiiidiitc  of  tlic  I'opo  and  would  tIsv 
iij^'iiiiist  a  I'rott'stiint  sovc'rciL,Mi  whom,  a.  JM-st,  tlicy 
l)arrly  tolrrati'd.  Scotland,  still  a  forL'i,i,Mi  kiiiLcdom, 
lar.i,'t'ly  Catholic,  and  in  hostile  hands,  would  he  sure  to 
strike  her  across  the  i)ordi'r.  Ireland,  as  yet  wholly 
(^atholic,  would  raisi  her  teirihle  keriie  in  savat,'*' 
rehellioii.  Thus  surrounded  ])y  eiieinies,  what  chance 
would  she  have  in  a  stru_L,'^de  with  the  niii^hty  Colossus 
that  overshadowcfl  the  Old  World  and  drew  i;dl(I  and 
silver  iu  seeniiii_t,dy  iiiexhanstihle  streams  I'lom  the  New  ? 
Clearly,  little  Kn^daud's  poliey  wiis  one  of  peace.  So 
i^li/.aheth  understood  it  and  so  she  acted.  (Jiviiii^ 
toleration  to  her  sulijocts  of  either  faith,  Ixtastin^ 
that  nohody  suffered  in  purse  or  person  for  icIiL^ioirs 
sake,  slu(  was  tryini,'  to  teach  them  thiit  it  was  pos- 
sihle  to  live  toi^ether  with  mutual  Ljood-will,  while 
she  shielded  them  to  the  best  of  her  })ower  frcMU 
foi'cign    foes. 

Now,  under  these  rirounistanees,  what  would  I-JiL^lish- 
nien,  resenting  the  oppression  and  cruelty  of  Spain,  do? 
Many  of  them  had  friends  or  kinsmen  lant^uishiiiL;'  in  the 
loathsome  dunufcons  of  the  In([nisition  or  wastiiiL;  their 
lives  chained  to  the  oar-henches  of  a  galley.  1  hey 
would  strike  the  Spanish  j»o\\er  wherever  and  whenever 
they  could.  They  would  deem  it  a  service  done  to  CJod, 
every  time  tliey  desti'ovcd  one  of  the  Spanisli  king's 
ships;  and  they  would  not  carefully  discriminate  ]»e- 
tween  his  property  and  that  of  his  subjects.  Any  vessel 
Hying  tlie  flag  tliat  was  tlie  symbol  of  universal  oppres- 
sion would  be  fair  game. 

10 


!,.t 


U 


:  I'M 


242 


The  World's  Discoverers 


?r' 


'I'liis  is  just  wliiit  tlic  piraU's  of  that  day  did.  Tlioy 
.•('presented  the  unorganized  oi>position  of  stru^j^ding 
Protestantism  to  a  foe  whose  rutldess  power  was  felt  on 
every  sea.  One  cannot  justify  all  that  they  did.  Too 
often  their  eruelties  on  the  water  niatehed  those  of  the 
Spanish  oflicors  on  huid.  Only  let  us  ronunnher  how 
naturally  this  state  of  thinufs  came  ahout.  It  was  a 
kind  of  lynch  law  api)ii(Ml  on  the  ocean,  in  the  ahsenco 
of  protection  from  the  constituted  authorities.  And 
retaliation  is  always  wont  to  go  to  terrihle  extremes. 
Pirates  these  men  were  midouhtedly.  They  had  no  com- 
mission froju  their  sovereign,  hut  fought  on  their  own 
account  and  destroyed  the  commerce  of  a  power  witli 
which  their  country  was  nominall}'  at  [)eacc.  They 
lived  hy  plunder  and  took  all  the  risks,  ('ai)tnred,  they 
were  not  entitled  to  be  treated  as  prisoners  of  war,  hut 
were  sure  of  heing  iianged.  Some  were  English,  some 
French,  some  Dutch.  These  circumstiinces  being  borne 
in  mind,  we  shall  not  have  any  diniculty  iti  understand- 
ing that  these  bold  "  Beggars  of  the  Sea  "  had  hospitable 
^/clcome  In  Plymouth  harbor.  Its  seafarnig  population 
were  'v.\  sympathy  with  them.  It  was  a  favorite  resort 
for  th  111,  both  on  this  accoiuit  and  because  it  ser.'cd 
them  admirably  as  a  lurking  place.  The  Spanish  king's 
shi|)s  bi'aring  supj)lies  and  money  to  the  army  in  the 
Netherlands  must  sail  through  the  Channel.  This  was 
the  rovers'  o})jH)rtunity  to  snatch  a  rich  booty.  Not 
plain  Knglish  folk  alone  sym})athized  with  these  lawless 
depredations.  Fdizabeth  distinctly  winked  at  them. 
Irideed,  she  was  very  glad  of  them.  In  the  weakness 
of  lici-  infant  na\y,  it  was  a  good  thing  to  have  at  hand 


The  English  Drigun 


243 


this  irrogiilar  force  of  fr'iirless  fighting  nipn,  swift  iiiul 
skilful  as  tli'3  vikings  of  an  older  time.  She  apjjreciated 
the  advantage  of  heing  ahle  to  disown  them,  while  she 
reaped  the  benefit  of  their  operations.  !xt  tlieni  prey 
ui)on  Spanish  commerce  as  niu''h  as  they  pleased.  Only 
so  that  they  did  not  exasperate  IMiili[i  to  the  extent 
of  declaring  war  on  her,  their  audacious  achievements 
were  a  help  to  her.  We  need  not  wonder  at  this  atti- 
tude of  the  English  queen,  so  singular  according  to  our 
more  refnied  ideas  of  international  comity.  In  tht>s«; 
rude  days,  when  plots  and  counteriilots  were  thick  and 
political  assassinations  were  frequent,  great  ministers  of 
state,  God-fearing  men,  did  things  which  startle  us  by 
their  daring  unscrupulousness.  The  employment  of 
men  who  instigated  a  plot  in  order  to  betray  ih.e  plotters 
was  common.  Here  is  an  instance.  Elizabeth's  minis- 
ters had  good  reason  to  suspect  that  a  certain  Dr.  Story 
who  had  fled  to  Holland  was  concerned  in  a  coiisjjiracy 
to  assassinate  the  queen.  He  being  in  a  foreign  coun- 
try, the  difficulty  wa3  in  getting  hold  of  him.  What 
did  they  do?  They  sent  a  vessel  over  to  the  Scheldt. 
A  spy  inveigled  Story  on  l)oard,  under  a  fals(>  pre- 
tence. He  was  immediatelv  seized  and  secured  below 
hatches.  The  vessel  then  slipped  away  and  soon  landed 
him  in  London.  Once  within  the  Towi.\  it  was  short 
work  to  wring  his  secret  from  him  with  the  rack,  ''''.en 
ho  was  hanged.  On  the  principle  of  ligliting  the 
Devil  with  fire,  such  methods  were  regarded  as  legiti- 
mate bits  of  shrewdness.  Certainly,  we  should  err 
in  judf^ing  them  by  the  light  and  the  knowledge  of 
our  day. 


8  ^ 


\f 


m 


ll 


\m ' 


I 


244  The  World's  Discoverers 

I  liiivf^  dwelt  iit  coiisidcnibk!  length  on  tliis  point, 
heciuiso  I  wish  to  give  you  a  cL'iir  idea  of  the  inlluences 
which  surrounded  the  hoy,  Francis  Drake.  It  will 
help  you  to  understand  inuch  in  his  career  if  you 
reincinhei"  how  he  was  cradled,  as  it  were,  among  men 
of  lawless  deeds,  who  were  nevertheless,  in  their  wav, 
the  chami»ions  and  defenth'i's  of  a  great  cause,  and  how 
he  grew  up  admiring  them  and  their  achievements. 
And  you  will  he  ahlc  to  make  allowance  for  his  intense, 
even  fanatical,  hatred  of  I'opery  and  of  the  Spanish 
king  as  its  right  hand. 

I^'rom  all  these  circumstances  it  is  not  hard  to  imagine 
that,  as  a  hoy  in  Plymouth,  he  nuist  have  listencnl  with 
eager  symi)athy  to  the  stories  of  pii-atcs  preying  on 
Spanish  commerce,  and  have  felt  his  pulse  quicken  at 
the  sight  of  their  swift  ships  anchored  in  the  roads, 
looking  foi'ward  to  the  time  when  he,  too,  shoidd  have  a 
hand  in  the  same  stirring  work. 

Oni!  otlu'r  clement  in  the  atmosphere  surrounding 
Drake  was  the  ex[)erience  of  northern  explorers.  At 
the  time  of  Chancelor's  successful  voyage  to  the  White 
Sea,  he  was  ohl  enough  to  hear  of  it  and  to  understand 
its  im|M)rtaiice.  'I'here  is  little  doubt  that  his  hold 
spirit  would  have  enrnllcd  him  among  those  daring 
navigators  who  essayed  to  reach  China  either  hy  a 
northeast  or  a  northwest  jtassagc,  had  it  not  licen  that 
his  kinsman  Hawkins's  ventures  in  troi»ical  waters  gave 
a  dilTcn'ut  U-nt  t<*  his  inin**  and  led  ultimately  to  the 
famous  vi»vage  with  whi<h  we  ai'c  particulat'ly  con- 
cernc(l.  We  have  sern  the  lad  apjirenticed  on  a 
coastri'.     (ichiiis   makes    all    c(»nditions    and  occasions 


The  English  Dragon 


245 


servo  its  ends.  So  fiiitlii'ully  did  Dnikc  do  liis  ImiiioK' 
work,  iiiid  with  so  iiiiicli  (iiiickiicss  and  capacitv,  that 
lie  won  tlu!  skipper's  licait,  and  the  ohl  man,  when 
lie  died,  left  him  his  hark.  It  is  a  lesson  worth 
])onderin<^,  that  this  great  man  gained  his  lirst  success 
in  life  hy  doing  his  lowly  and  (;oarse  tasks  with  all 
his  iihility.  Two  years  later  we  find  him,  now  nineteen 
years  old,  purser  or  third  olliee'  of  one  of  the  Haw- 
kins vessels.  He  had  sold  the  old  hark  and  east  his  lot 
with  the  rising  fortunes  of  his  (loiisin,  who  had  hegun 
that  daring  policy  of  trading  with  S[>anish  eoloi  ies 
whi<;h  produced  conlliets  with  the  local  authorities  in 
tht^  Xew  World  and  hrought  on  the  war  which  was  the 
Ijeginning  »)f  S[)ain's  ruin  and  of  ICngland's  rise  to  be 
mistress  of  the  seas.  To  come  to  the  great  voyage 
which  alone  iias  any  place  in  the  plan  of  this  hook,  we 
must  i)ass  over  some  [larts  of  Drake's  career,  lie  and 
Hawkins  had  had  a  miseiahle  and  bitter  experieiici! 
of  Spanish  tri'aclu'ry  at  San  Juan  de  Tlloa,  on  the  coast 
of  Mexico.  They  were  there  snlely  for  the  puri)os(^  of 
trading  and  had  done  nothing  t  >  j)rovoke  an  attack.  A 
S[)anish  admiial,  afti-r  being  allowed  to  come  alongsi<le, 
(»n  an  cxj)ress  agreenu'nt  not  to  molest  them,  suddenly 
opene(l  lire  and  tried  to  boai'd  them.  A  desperate 
light  ensued,  '"'hey  got  away  finally,  but  with  the 
loss  of  one  vessel,  of  all  their  valual)le  eaigo,  and  of  a 
hundred  of  their  comrades,  who  were  chained  and  jmt 
to  work  in  the  mines. 

I*,  is  hardly  to  be  wondered  at  tlint  Drake,  plinidercd 
and  nearly  ruined,  henceforth  ('(iiisidered  all  Sj)anish 
pro[)erty    fail    game    and    was  bent   on    revenging   his 


m 


■  H 

!  t 


Si,  li 


246 


The  World's  Discoverers 


(Mislavcd  coinnidi's.  He  Imd  u  jtlan  of  liis  own.  He 
k.'[)t  it  very  quicl.  Had  he  let  it  get  out,  tlie  Spmish 
goveinnu'iit  would  have  heen  on  its  guard.  With  an 
absurdly  small  force,  the  "  Pelican, "of  one  hundred  and 
twenty  tons,  in  other  words,  of  about  the  size  of  a 
modern  racing  yacht,  and  four  still  smaller  craft,  he  set 
out,  in  1 ')77,  on  a  voyage  which  was  destined  to  make 
a  new  historical  ei)och.  Of  this  famous  venture  au  old 
writer  quaintly  says  that  he  "  lirst  turned  up  a  furrough 
about  the  whole  world,"  and  that  bis  achievement  "doth 
not  only  overmatch  the  ancient  Argonauts,  but  also 
outreacbeth  in  many  resi)e('ts  that  noble  mariner  Magel- 
lanus,  and  by  far  surpasseth  his  crowned  victory." 


m  \ 


The  Dragon  Sails  on  Magellan's  Track      247 


CHAPTER  XXV 
Tin:  DiiAGON  SAILS  ON  mac;klla\'s  thack 

DitAKE's  L'nU'r[)iisu  luul  strong  fiiiuiiciiil  kickiiij^. 
F 'ob'slior's  rt'tuni  in  the  previous  yciir  fioiii  L;il)ra<lor 
w't'i  wliiit  was  taken  for  valuahli'  gold  ort^  had  kindled 
a  fever  of  speeidation.  Drake  easily  sold  shares  in  his 
venture  to  inoininent  courtiers,  l-^veii  Klizaheth  sub- 
scrilx'd  a  thousaiul  erowns,  on  the  condition  tliat  her 
interest  in  the  enter[tiise  he  kept  a  i)rofound  secret. 
The  spirit  of  adventure  was  in  the  air.  Dreams  of  gold 
and  glory  lilled  many  minds.  Youths  of  illustrio;is 
families  volunteered  to  serve  under  Drake,  who  had 
already  made  for  liimself  an  enviable  name.  The  son 
jI  Sir  William  W'yuter,  Elizabeth's  Admiirtl-ai-Sea, 
v/.as  appointed  second  in  commaml.  'J'Il*  i)ublio  pretext 
was  a  voyage  to  Egypt,  for  it  was  necessary  to  give  out 
some  destination  which  would  j)ut  tliti  Si)anisii  ;llini^  ter 
on  a  false  scent"  else  he  would  (juickly  have  iiotilieci 
his  master,  an<l  Sj>ain  would  have  been  on  her  guard  in 


her  f; 


ir-away  possessions. 


On  Noveniljer  lo,  loTT,  Drake  ran  i)roudly  out  of 
Plymouth  harbor  with  his  littlt;  flei't  of  live  vessels. 
How  small  was  the  force  destined  f(»r  the  most  daring 
enter[)rise  that  Enghiiid  had  ever  huuichedl  All  the 
crews  toeethor  .nunln'red  but  one  hundred  and  liftv 
men  and  fourteen  ])oys.  The  littU;  flag-ship  was  fitted 
up  \,  ith  almost  royal  sumptuousness.     In  the  cabin  of 


1 


■til 

k 


11 
if 


:  i        , 


iiL- 


■I       1 


i   ■     ! 


I! 


I; 


{f    jl 


I 


i 


Hi  i 


i 


248 


The  World's  Discoverers 


the  •'  lV'lic;;iii "'  tlic  L,ML';it  rover  wlio  liud  licifiui  life  in  tlio 
iorccasllc  (»!"  ;i  diily  liltir  coastir,  dined  im  silver  |iliit»' 
rieldy  j^ilt  und  onj^nived  with  Uk;  laniilv  arms,  wliile 
tlie  air,  redolent  with  [)erfnnies  given  him  hy  tlie  Qneen, 
was  lilh'd  with  soft  strains  of  mnsic,  and  yonng  nu'n  of 
gentle  birth  stood  barelieaded  in  the  angnst  ])resenee. 

Sixty  years  hud  [)assed  sinee  Ahigellan  had  sailed 
through  the  straits  which  hear  his  name.  I  lis  great 
discovery  iiad  fiillen  idle.  (Jeographers  tanght  that 
therti  was  no  passagt;  from  the  Atlantic  into  the  South 
Sea,  save  through  that  one  erooki'd  strait;  and  to  use  it 
till!  most  renowned  navigators  in  tlu;  Spanish  service  liad 
essaycMJ  in  vain.  For  a  generation  the  attempt  had  been 
abandoned.  The  vast  wealth  of  the  I'acilic  coast  con- 
tinued to  flow  northward  to  the  Isthmus,  wher(^  it  was 
carried  overland  by  Nond)re  de  Dios  and  then  re-shipped 
to  Spain. 

Drake  liatl  no  smaller  game  in  view  than  to  follow  in 
Magellan's  track,  to  penetrate  the  South  Sea  and  freight 
his  shi[)s  with  the  almost  fabulous  tnuisures  of  Peru. 
It  was  a  desperately  daring  scheme,  lvem(Mnl>er,  Spain 
\\as  sovereign  of  thos«>  seas.  llcr  mastery  extended 
across  the  wide  I'acilic  and  included  the  I'hilij)j)ines. 
No  English  ship  might  show  itself  in  tlidse  waters. 
.I(»hn  Oxenlian.,  once  a  companion  of  Drake  in  the 
Sj)anish  Main,  had  stolen  overlarid  to  the  South  Sea  and 
l.Mni(lie(l  a  vessel.  Having  b(>en  caught,  he  had  be«n 
promjilly  haiigiMl  foi'  a  jjiiatc  at  Lima.  Hut  Drake, 
yi'ars  before,  had  rlindted  a  tall  tree  (Mi  tht^  to[>  of  a 
riilge  of  Panama,  and  catching  far  away  the  gleam  of 
tiie    Paiilic.  Ii.i  1    |iia\ed  (ind  to  grant  iiim  leave  to  sail 


The  Dragon  Sails  on  Magellan's  Track      249 

ail  MiMj^lisli  vt'ssi'l  III)  that  tucan.  Xow  ho  was  ahoiit 
to  liiiu  his  jH'iiyiT  into  tlccd. 

Sti'im<^t!  iind  shaihiwy  terrors  loomed  across  his  path. 
It  was  an  aj^'e  of  sii[)t'i'stitioii,  and  saihirs  peopled  the 
I'ar  southern  shores  with  demons  and  iina_niiie(l  the 
waters  envelope(l  in  ceaseless  storms  and  darkness.  It 
was  this  region,  unexplored  and  uncharted,  that  Drake 
[)Uri)oso{l  to  penetrate  with  his  iittU;  vessels. 

On  they  s\ve[)t  till  the  African  coast  was  reached. 
Then  they  turned  southward,  and  for  the  lirst  tiiiu'  tiie 
crews  that  had  shi[)ped  for  a  voyat^e  to  Alexandria 
learned  their  true  destination.  They  mi^ht  at  any  time 
refuse  to  l;()  further.  The  incitement  to  mutiny  was 
not  wanlini;'.  One  Thomas  Douj^hty,  formerly  an  inti- 
mate friend  of  Di'ake's,  conunandcd  the  soldii-rs;  and 
for  some  reason,  at  lirst  mysterious,  there  was  constant 
friction  hetweeii  the  gentlemen  volunteers  and  the 
sailor  olliccrs.  At  that  time  sea  sei\  ice  was  not  rigidly 
organized  as  it  now  is.  Kach  shi[)  eonunonly  ha<l  a 
gentleman  caj)tain,  sometinuis  much  more  of  a  soldier 
than  a  sailoi'.     The  second  ollicer  was  iiivariablv  a  iirac- 


tical 


seamai 


1  and  was  the  master.      On  him   restc<|   the 


resj)onsiliility  of    navigating  the  ship.      This   unset t]c(l 
(pu\stiou    as 


to    th 


Idi 


le  su})remacy  or  soldiei-s  oi-  sailors 
al'forded  the  ojijiortunity  ol  fomenting  discord  which  an 
ill-disposed  man  would  naturally  seek.  Such  a  man 
was  Doughty. 

The  little  licet  ranged  down  the  Afrieaii  coast.  As 
il  touched  at  Cape  iUaiico,  the  ehaplain,  Fletcher, 
\vliitHi>  journal  is  very  interesting,  was  very  much  iiu- 
[ii'csscd  with    a    clremnstance  Mlii(  h    rcllects  honor  or. 


* 

-,i        I   .          I 

M 

M        '■          ■   - 

't.i 

u 

r 

!■ 


I: 


m 


1! 

ii, 

m 
lii' 


LW 


25. 


The  World's  Discoverers 


Dnikc's  Imnuinity.  Some  of  tlie  country-people 
"l)iou<,Mit  (loNvne  with  them  a  wonuin,  a  Moore  (with  her 
little  biibe  haiigiiij^'  ujiou  lier  dry  (hiyge,  having  scarce 
life  in  lierselfe,  much  less  milk  to  nourish  her  child), 
to  be  sold  as  a  horse  or  a  cow  and  a  calf  by  her  side, 
in  which  sort  of  merchandise  our  generall  woulde 
not  dcale." 

A  few  prizes  were  picked  uj),  among  which  was  a 
Portuguese  vessel  carrying  a  rich  fjvight  of  silks  and 
other  valuable  goods,  besides  ample  stores.  She  was 
retained.  The  others  were  discharged,  as  well  as  the 
crews  and  passengers,  without  ransom,  to  the  intense 
disap[)()intment  of  Drake's  gentlenien,  who  did  not  at 
all  undeistand  this  honorable  kind  of  piracy.  One  man 
only  was  retained,  a  (ienoesc!  pilot,  who  knew  the 
IJiazil  coast,  and  who  no  sooner  learned  of  Drake's 
intention  of  enteriiig  the  Pacific  l)y  Magellan's  al>an- 
doned  route  than  he  eagerly  offered  his  services,  which 
were  gladly  accepted. 

In  crossing  the  Atlantic,  the  chaplain  wmr  much 
struck  with  tlie  wonders  he  beheld,  and  he  took  care 
that  these  marvels  should  not  suffer  in  the  telling. 
There  were  binls  that  swarmed  u[)on  tlie  ships  far  out  in 
the  ocean  —  birds  that  never  touch  land,  except  for  a 
few  moments,  "  for  with  all  s[)eed  the  female  dropps  lier 
eggs  in  the  sand,  and,  covering  them,  presently  dc- 
parteth,  never  rcjKilring  any  more  to  them,  but  leaveth 
them  to  the  heat  of  the  sonn  and  the  nature  of  the  sands 
in  the  providenr-e  of  (Jod  to  bring  them  forth  living 
creatures,  without  showing  anny  spark  of  naturall 
affection  to  them." 


a' 


■I 


i 


The  Dragon  Sails  on  Magellan's  Track      25  i 

III  (li'scribiii^^  the  Hyinj,'  lisli,  lu'  ^'ivt's  free  rein  to  liis 
fancy  tliu.s:  "Tlie  iiic  rcasc  of  this  littlt'  aiul  woiulrifull 
civatuie  is  in  a  manner  inlinite,  tlii'  fry  wlu'rcof  lyt'th 
ii[Kin  the  upiicr  [)art  of  tlu'  waters,  in  the  lieute  of  the 
sun,  as  (lust  upon  the  face  (»f  the  earlli,  which  l)ein«^  in 
hii^nesse  of  a  wlieat  straw,  an«l  in  h-ngth  an  inch  more 
or  lesse,  do  continually  exercise  themselves  in  hoth 
their  faculties  of  nature  "'  (swimming  and  Hying).  I  lere 
is  another  wonder:  "Sometimes  the  water  which  fell 
out  of  the  ayer,  alien  we  came  neare  the  E(|uat(M',  was 
so  (|iialliiie(l  of  the  heat  of  the  somi,  that  it  falling  ujion 
the  cloathes  of  our  men,  they  were  burned  that  they 
would  moulder  in  ijieees."  lint  hercf  is  comiiensation 
for  the  troi)ical  heat:  "  In  our  passing  from  oui' country, 
heing  winter,  lice  increased  inlinitely  on  the  cloathes  of 
our  men;  but  no  sooner  were  we  come  within  the  burn- 
ing zone,  but  they  all  dyed  and  consumed  away  of 
themstdves." 

On  April  5  the  fleet  sighted  the  Hrazil  coast.  Shortly 
afterwards  they  eucountered  incessant  gales.  The  ships 
could  not  be  kept  together.  Furious  winds  tor(>  them 
from  their  anchorage  and  scattered  them  out  of  sight 
of  each  otlau".  Sudden  S([ualls  swooped  down  and 
threatened  instant  destruction.  There  seemed  to  be 
something  unnatiwal,  uncaiuiy  about  these  ex[)erieneefi, 
(■orres[)onding  with  the  bad  name  of  these  waters. 
Di'ake,  as  superstitious  as  sailors  in  general,  began  to 
think  that  there  was  a  Jonah  on  board,  and  his  suspicioji 
fell  on  John  Doughty,  brother  of  the  man  who  had 
already  been  detectt^d  in  tam})eriiig  with  the  crews. 
J(jhii  was  a  scholar.      He  knew  something  of  Hebrew. 


lit; 


I 


i 


ii 


n 


2  5  2 


I'hc  World's  Discoverers 


M'^  ii 


mi 


riii-^  I;iii!^MiiiL,'<'  was  iKiliiriniisly  associated  willi  tlic 
DIack  All  (  iii.i;_;ic ).  'I'lic  (■(iiicliisidii  was  iric-ist  ililc : 
.IkIiii  I  )(tiii;lily  was  a  wi/.ard  and  l»y  Ids  inraiiKiiis  jtrai-- 
(i<('s  with  llfhn-w  cliaiiiclcis  litdd  iiilcrcdiiisc  with  v\\\ 
spirits,  and  llirsc  raised  tlie  storms.  It  ni.ikes  us  smile 
nn\\ada\s  1(1  think  (il'a  man  (»!'  Drake's  stronn'  mind  en  I  ei'- 
tainin^;'  notions  socliildisli.  I>ul  weeainiot  fail  toadmire 
his  (hiuntless  eouraLjf  in  pressing;'  on,  when  he  h(dieved 
the  \('iy  powers  n[  tlie  ail  to  he  h'a^necl  ai^'ainst  him. 

Six  weaiy  weeks  the  liith-  xcsseks  were  stniin'ij;lin«^ 
sonlhwanl,  hiilTeled  and  se;iLtt'ri'd.  Then  I'ort  Desire 
was  reaehe(K 

'The  Pata'^'oiiaiis  impressed  T'letcher  Ncry  favorably. 
He  sa\s :  "  Tiie  i^'iaiiL  men  and  women  show ed  themselves 
not  oidy  harmless  hut  ready  to  do  ns  aii\  j^'ood  and 
jileasure:  yea,  the\  showed  \\>  moi-e  kindness  than  many 
( 'hi'istiaiis  would  have  doiin.  No  sooiiei'  were  we  landed 
than  they  pitt\'i'(l  our  ease,  heiiiiji'  so  weathcr-lu'iitcn, 
and  with  all  oxiu'dition  iirou^ht  to  us  som  sueh  viidualls 
as  their  country  \  i(dded.  'i'he  ehitd'  vietuulls  wee  re- 
ceiveil  from  them  was  the  llesh  of  ()stri^L,^L,'es,  whereof 
llicir  land  is  full,  and  whereof  no  parte  of  ihc  body  is 
to  he  taken  hut  oidy  the  h'^'i;'s,  which  ai'c  hit^'i^er  than 
the  greatest  Ic'^'^s  of  imitloii  in  the  province  of  Pci'U, 
and  the  meat  tlni-eof  is  e(|Uall  to  any  red  deare.  'I'he 
rest  of  till'  body  is  but  sciii  and  bones.  'I'ht'y  cannot 
llye,  theii'  featheis  are  so  weak,  but  run  most  swiftly, 
bcatiuLf  their  slubb  winL;'s  in  the  aycr,  to  give  tbcm  a 
lighter  motion." 

'I'liere  follows  a  lively  ac(!ount  of  a  battle  wltli  sea- 
fowl.     Some  of  the   men,  landint' on  an  island,  "  f(.)und 


The  Dragon  Sails  on  Magellan's  Track      253 

it  ii  stoiirc-lioiisc  of  vic'tiiiills  Inr  a  kiii'f's  aniiv:  I'ni' siicli 
was  the  iiiliiiito  store  ot*  v^'^s  and  liiidcs,  lltat  (licic  was 
no  footing  upon  the  ^roiiiKl,  Ixit  (o  tread  ii|miii  the  one 
(»!•  the  other  at  every  steiip.  \rn,  the  hirds  was  sn  thick 
and  wouhl  not  ri!inove,  that  they  were  enfoiced  with 
euih'cls  iiiid  swords  to  kill  them  to  make  oiii'  \\;\\  1 


(I  <;■(  ic 


and  the  nii^dit  dniwinj^  on,  still  wee  euuld   not  i)revailr, 
htit  i,nive  them  the  held  for  the  tyme." 

Here  was  a  ifrateful   rest   for  the  crews  (if  tlie  storm- 


tossed   licet.      Uut    there  was  no  I'cst   for   Dral 


<e 


Th 


ti'oui)le  with  Thomas  |)oUi;htv  was  <'i(i\\  ini?'  ever  wdi 


.se 


'1"1 


le  master  of  the   vessel  on  which   he  sailed  rejiorted 


that  he  had  never  ceased  to  disparage  the  Admiial  and 
try  to  make  himself  appear  as  the  real  commander  of 
the  ex})edition,  and  had  (pian-eled  with  the  niastci'  and 
delied  his  uuthoi-ity.  It  seemed  as  if  l)(iUL,dily  w  ished 
to  i)Ut  himself  at  the  head  of  u^U'iitlemen  vtilnnteeis' 
party  iunl  thereby  to  override  Drake's  authority.  This 
onld  hi  ve  meant  defeat  to  tlie  exjicdition.      A  swift 


w 


d  sh 


d 


and  snarp  remedy  was  needed,  and 


Drak 


was  the  man 


to   apply 


Iv    it. 


Th 


le    crisis  of    the   voxaij'c   was  at   hand. 


They  were  neai'ln^c  MaLjellan's  Straits.      If  the  (  redn- 


li>us    sailors,    wlio    ocIicvcm 


1    tl 


lemsehcs    to    lie    sadinti' 


haunted  waters,  should  once  he  incited  to  niuliny  against 
,L,foin_!^  further,  the  nio\cmcid  would  he  luml  tu  handle. 
Di'ake  dej)rivc(l  Thomas  I)oUL;'lit y  nf  his  coniniaiid  and 
oi'dered  th(^  brothers  on  hoaiwl  another  \csscl  as  jiris- 
onei's.  They  refused  to  !;'o.  He  diicctid  a  tacl<lc  to  he 
rii^'^i'ed  jiiid  liad  tlu-m  sIuiil,'  on  hoard,  as  if  they  had 
heen  liuUocks.  'I'hen  I:  put  them  inidci'  ^tiard  with 
strict  orders  that  ueit.iei'  u\   them  should  he  allowed  to 


! 


V; 
i't 


I 

m 


'■i 


\     ■' 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


Irl^  IVM 


1^  iU 

16  3 

^  1^ 


m 

1.8 


Mm 


Hiotographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.y    HS80 

;7»^>)  i!<7i~4S03 


L1>' 


\ 


>v 


-      4f- 


\\ 


^<b 


v 


<* 


hS.V 


^  lit 


254 


The  World's  Discoverers 


read  or  write  anything  but  what  a  man  could  see  and 
understand.  Tliis  was  to  prevent  John  from  holding 
intercourse  with  his  unseen  familiars.  It  was  summer 
time  in  the  northern  hemisphere,  but  in  this  forsaken 
region,  on  wliich  God  seemed  to  have  turned  his  back 
and  abandoned  it  to  the  rule  of  devils,  the  voyagers 
were,  in  June,  in  the  thick  of  wintry  storms. 

They  put  into  Port  St.  Julian.  Here  a  gruesome 
sight  met  the  navigators ;  it  was  the  stump  of  Magel- 
lan's gallows.  Buried  at  its  foot  lay  the  bones  of  the 
two  mutinous  officers  who  had  paid  the  penalty  of  their 
self-will  with  their  lives.  Perhaps  this  discovery  sug- 
gested to  Drake  the  course  he  should  take  as  to  the  two 
men  whose  presence  was  demoralizing  the  ship's  com- 
panies. Thomas  Doughty  was  confident  that  the 
Admiral  dared  not  exercise  his  authority  upon  him. 
lie  soon  learned  his  mistake.  A  jury  was  empaneled, 
with  Vice-Admiral  Wynter  at  its  head,  and  the  prisoner 
was  solemnly  charged  with  mutiny  and  treason.  There 
was  a  wrangling  trial,  full  of  bitter  taunts  and  acri- 
monious evidence.  Still,  the  prisoner  was  acquitted  of 
treason.  When  the  charge  of  mutiny  was  taken  up, 
Drake  for  the  first  time  produced  evidence  himself. 
Then  Doughty  blurted  out  the  truth.  He  had  betrayed 
the  Queen's  secret  interest  in  the  expedition  to  Lord 
Burleigh.  The  fact  was  then  apparent:  he  was  Bur- 
leigh's secret  agent,  put  on  board  the  fleet  for  the  ex- 
press purpose  of  fomenting  strife  and  defeating  the 
objects  of  the  expedition. 

This  rash  l)oast  sealed  Doughty's  doom.  Drake  took 
the  ships'  companies  aside  and  opened  his  heart  to  them, 


The  Dragon  Sails  on  Magellan's  Track     255 


telling  them  the  whole  story  of  the  expedition  and  its 
hindrances,  and  asked  them  what  fate  a  man  deserved 
who  had  conspired  to  overthrow  so  great  an  undertak- 
ing. "They  that  think  this  man  worthy  of  death,"  he 
cried,  "let  them  hold  up  their  hands."  A  throng  of 
brown  hands  went  up.     Thomas  Doughty  must  die. 

Next  followed  a  singular  scene.  It  is  hard  to  recon- 
cile with  Drake's  sincerity  his  kneeling  side  hy  side 
with  the  condemned  man  and  receiving  the  Connnunion. 
But,  und')ubtedly,  it  was  meant  as  an  evidence  that 
there  was  no  malice.  Then,  stranger  still,  all  sat  down 
to  tables  loaded  with  the  best  that  the  stores  contained, 
and  feasted  together  in  a  farewell  banquet  to  the  con- 
denuied  man.  Then  the  merry  comrades  gathered 
around,  to  "see  him  off."  In  those  days  it  was  thought 
good  taste  for  a  criminal  at  the  block  to  jest.  Sir 
Thomas  More,  Raleigh,  and  others  illustrated  the 
custom.  Doughty,  who  was  an  accomplished  gentle- 
man, would  not  be  out  of  the  fashion.  lie  embraced 
Drake,  made  his  joke,  and  then  calmly  submitted  to  the 
stroke.  Drake  was  equally  undisturbed.  When  the 
provost-marshal  held  up  the  dripping  head,  Drake  cried 
out,  "Lo!  this  is  the  end  of  traitors."  John  Doughty 
was  not  brought  to  trial.  Probably  it  would  have  been 
hard  to  prove  him  a  magician. 

Coasting  along  southward,  they  were  much  impressed 
with  the  friendly  familiarity  of  the  natives.  Suddeidy, 
liowever,  a  bloody  affray  broke  out  in  this  wise.  "Two 
young  giants"  were  visiting  the  Englishmen,  when  one 
of  the  latter  named  Wynter  undertook  to  show  them 
the   superiority  of  an   English    bow.       Unfortunately, 


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The  World's  Discoverers 


his  string  broke,  '^riioii  "two  other  giiints,  old  and 
grim  weiitherheaten  vilhains,"  who  luid  come  up,  seeing 
him  unarmed,  shot  at  liini,  and  sent  one  arrow  throngli 
his  slioukler,  another  tlirough  liis  lungs.  Thereupon 
the  master-gunner  tried  to  shoot  them  with  a  fowling- 
piece  he  carried,  "but  tlie  touch  being  dankish  would 
not  take  fyer,  for  it  was  a  misliug  rain."  Seeing  this, 
the  savages  turned  on  him  and  sent  an  arrow  througli 
his  heart.  IJy  this  time  Drake  came  up  and  took  a 
liand  in  tlie  fray.  lie  succeeded  in  discharging  the 
gunner's  piece  with  so  good  effect  that  one  of  the  mur- 
derous savages  was  horribly  mangled,  and  made  an  out- 
cry "so  hideous  and  liorrible  as  if  ten  bulls  had  joyned 
together  in  roaring."  Thereupon  his  countrymen  fled 
in  a  panic.  That  night  the  two  dead  adventurers  "  were 
laid  in  one  grave  with  such  reverance  as  was  fit  for 
the  earthen  tabernacles  of  immortal  soules." 


Southwest  Passage  to  Cathay  Reopened     257 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

THE  DKAGO.;    REOPENS   THE   SOUTHWEST    PASSAGE   TO 

CATHAY 

On  August  20,  nine  months  from  the  diite  of  their 
sailing,  the  fleet,  now  reduced  to  three  vessels,  reiuihed 
the  Straits  of  Magellan.  There,  in  honor  of  a  friend 
at  court,  the  flag-shi[)'s  name  was  changed  from  the 
"Pelican"  to  the  "Golden  Hind,"  a  name  which  her 
achievement  has  made  immortal.  There  was  the  usual 
stormy  passage  through  the  straits,  but  in  a  fortnight 
Drake's  courage  and  seamanship  brought  his  ships  out 
on  the  Paciiic.  Hardly  had  the  squadron  turned  north- 
ward when  a  terrific  gale  burst  upon  it,  as  if  the  aerial 
powers  of  the  South  Sea,  enraged  at  the  audacious 
intrusion  on  their  ancient  solitary  reign,  had  thi'own 
themselves  in  fury  upon  the  invaders.  The  ships  were 
hurled  back.  For  nearly  two  months  they  were  driven 
hither  and  thither,  under  bare  poles,  in  waters  where  no 
mortal  keel  had  ever  cut  a  furrow,  amid  ice  and  wintry 
darkness.  The  "  Marygold  "  went  down  with  all  iiands. 
Wynter,  separated  from  his  consort,  lost  heart,  .vnd  '> 
entered  the  straits,  built  signal  fires  on  shore  for  a  week, 
and,  when  no  sign  of  the  admiral  appeared,  sailed  away 
to  England,  to  report  the  loss  of  the  fleet.  Thus  the 
"Golden  Hind"  was  left  alone. 

Meanwhile  where  was  Drake?  He  was  making  a 
splendid  discovery.     Driven  southward  by  the   storm, 

17 


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lie  found  liimsclf  at  tlie  end  of  tlie  western  continent. 
Where  the  old  geograpliers  set  down  the  Terra  Aus- 
tralis,  a  vast  land  stretching  from  MageUan's  Straits 
unbroken  to  the  South  Pole,  he  saw  an  open  sea,  the 
Atlantic  and  the  Pacific  rolling  together.  Cape  Horn 
had  been  seen,  in  1525,  by  Francisco  de  Iloceit,  com- 
manding a  ship  sent  out  to  follow  up  Magellan's  dis- 
covery of  the  strait.  But  the  fact  had  been  carefully 
kept  secret,  according  to  Spain's  selfish  policy.  Since 
that  day  how  many  a  tall  ship  has  "rounded  the  Horn  "  ! 
Drake's  discovery  swept  off  the  map  an  imaginary 
continent  and  laid  open  to  the  world  a  commercial 
route  of  inestimable  value,  the  Southwest  Road  to 
Cathay. 

In  the  islunds  discovered  by  Drake  south  of  the 
straits  they  "  found  great  store  of  strange  birds,  which 
could  not  flic  at  all,  nor  yet  runne  so  fast  as  that  they 
could  escape  us.  In  body  they  are  less  than  a  goose 
and  bigger  than  a  mallard,  short  and  thick  sett,  having 
no  feathers,  but  instead  thereof  a  certain  hard  and 
matted  downe;  they  lodge  and  breed  upon  the  land, 
where  making  earthes,  as  the  conies  doe,  in  tlie  ground, 
tlicy  lay  their  eggs  and  bring  up  their  young.  Such 
was  the  infinite  resort  of  these  birds  to  these  Islands 
that  in  the  space  of  one  day  we  killed  no  Icsse  than 
3000.  They  are  a  very  good  and  wholesome  victuall." 
The  Admiral  called  the  islands  the  Elizabethides. 


Now  the  little  "Golden  Hind"  bore  boldly  up  the 
coast,  undaunted  by  her  loneliness.  Nature  was  more 
piopitious,  and  favoring  winds  sped  her  on  her  way. 


Southwest  Passage  to  Cathay  Reopened     259 

At  tlic  island  of  Muclio  Dnike  entered  into  tniflic  \v  U 
the  natives  for  fresli  victnals  and  water.  'J'liey  seenn. 
very  friendly  and  bronght  down  two  fat  slieoj)  as  a 
present.  It  appeared,  however,  that  this  was  only  a 
bait,  for  the  next  day  a  large  nnml)er  ambushed  the  boat 
in  a  narrow  passage  and  [)oured  '.n  a  cloud  of  anows. 
Drake  and  every  man  were  wounded.  They  escaj)ed, 
however,  with  their  lives;  and  though  they  had  no 
longer  a  surgeon,  but  only  "'a  boy  whose  goodwill  was 
more  than  any  skill  hee  had,"  they  ultimately  recovered 
and  "yeelded  (rod  the  glory  thereof." 

Drake  did  not  yet  know  of  Wynter's  desertion.  It 
had  been  agreed  that,  in  case  of  their  sepai'ation,  they 
should  wait  one  for  the  other  at  Valparaiso.  For  that 
port,  therefore,  Drake  headed,  not  doubting  but  he 
would  find  Wynter  there.  He  was  piloted  by  an  Indian 
whom  he  had  picked  up  off  the  coast  as  he  was  fishing 
in  his  canoe;  "a  comely  personage,  and  of  a  goodly 
stature ;  a  most  lively  patterne  of  the  harmlesse  dispo- 
sition of  that  people."  This  gentle  savage  was  very 
grateful  for  the  gifts  he  received,  ile  landed  and  gave 
his  friends  so  favorable  a  report  of  the  Englishmen, 
that  they  soon  came  out,  bringing  provisions,  such  as 
"hennes,  eggs,  a  fat  hogge,  and  such  like."  He, 
further,  offered  to  pilot  the  fleet  to  a  harbor  where  all 
its  necessities  might  be  supplied.  This  proved  to  be 
none  other  than  Valparaiso. 

Instead  of  Wynter,  Drake  found  there  a  noble  prize, 
the  "Grand  Captain  of  the  South,"  with  a  cargo  of 
Chilian  wine,  besides  a  quantity  of  fine  gold  and  a  s[)len- 
did  "gold  crucifix  beset  with  emeralds."     She  was  wait- 


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The  World's  Discoverers 


FT^TT 


ing  a  favoring  wind  U>  carry  lier  to  Panama.  Ncvei' 
(Ircaniing  of  an  Englisli  sliif)  on  tlie  west  coast,  slie 
vvoleonicd  tlic  stranger  with  beat  of  drum  and  an  invi- 
tation to  coinc  aboard  and  have  a  merry  night.  Imagine 
her  crew's  dismay,  wiien  grim  old  Tom  Moore,  one  of 
Drake's  sea-(h)gs,  wlio  had  sailed  and  fought  with  him 
in  former  ventures,  climbed  over  the  sich;,  at  the  head 
of  a  handful  of  trusty  "overs,  shouting  in  broken  Span- 
ish, "Down,  dog,  down!  "  He  soon  had  the  crew  tight 
under  hatches.  Then  picture  the  i)iratcs'  glee  as  they 
plundered  the  splendid  prize  and  pillaged  the  little 
settlement  of  all  they  wanted. 

Three  days  the  mysterious  visitor  lay  in  the  Chilian 
paradise  (Val[)araiso,  Valley  of  Paradise),  while  the 
men,  famished  after  a  long  diet  of  salt  })enguin,  and 
many  of  them  still  suffering  from  their  wounds,  reveled 
in  fresh  meat  and  fruits. 

The  chaplain's  journal  says  demurely:  "Wee  spent 
some  time  in  refreshing  ourselves  and  easing  this  ship 
of  so  heavy  a  burthen,  and,  having  sufficiently  stored 
ourselves  with  necessaries  as  wine,  l)read,  bacon,  etc., 
foi-  a  long  season,  we  set  saile,  landing  our  Indian  pilote, 
bountifully  rewarded  and  enriched  with  many  good 
things,  in  the  [Jace  where  he  desired." 

Now  out  u[)on  the  deep  once  more  and  on  with  the 
audacious  venture!  Drake  still  hoped  to  find  Wynter 
and  the  "Elizabeth."  So  they  raced  along  the  coast, 
exhilarated  by  the  glorious  climate  and  well-nigh  in- 
toxicated with  the  splendid  loot  whicli  everywhere  was 
theirs  for  the  taking.  vVs  they  plundered  ship  after 
ship  or  pillaged  settlements,  despising  all  meaner  stuff 


Southwest  Passage  to  Cathay  Reopened     261 

tluui  the  [jrecious  nu^tiils  jiiid  Ljeiiis,  it  imist  liuvc  sccnicd 
jis  if  thoy  liiul  fallen  upon  an  I'lichauted  woiKI.  Tlitj 
[)iiates  had  everything  their  own  way,  without 
laolestation. 

A  messenger  liad,  indeed,  been  sent  from  \''al[)araiso 
to  warn  the  coast  towns;  but  "because  manv  Iiultc  and 
colde  mountaines  covered  with  snowe  lie  in  the  way, 
the  Poste  was  so  long  in  perfourmance  of  this  journey, 
that  Ca})taine  Drake  was  upon  the  coaste  of  Peru  a 
moneth  before  the  sayd  Poste  came  thither:  neither 
could  they  send  any  newes  by  sea,  being  destitute 
of  shipping." 

Dral.e  made  good  use  of  the  time.  He  would  have 
landed  for  water  at  Coquimbo,  but  "CJod,"  says  the 
chaplain,  "  did  open  our  eyes  to  see  300  men  at  least, 
whereof  100  were  Spaniards,  every  one  well  mounted 
upon  his  horse:  the  rest  were  Indiu.is,  running  as  dogs 
at  their  heeles,  all  naked,  and  in  most  miserable  bond- 
age." They  lost  a  man  who  ventured  rashly  ashore,  in 
defiance  of  the  enemy,  was  seized,  and  "was  there 
manfully  by  the  Spaniards  beheaded,  the  right  hand 
cut  off,  the  heart  pluckt  out;  all  which  they  carried 
away  in  our  sight,  and  for  the  rest  of  his  carcase  they 
caused  the  Indians  to  shoote  it  full  of  arrows,  and  so 
left  it  to  be  devoured  of  the  beasts  and  foules,  but  that 
we  went  ashore  ajrain  and  buried  it."  After  this 
untoward  experience  they  put  to  sea. 

A  little  uninhabited  harbor  afforded  a  refuge.  Here 
Drake  set  up  a  pinnace  that  had  been  brought  along  in 
pieces,  refitted  the  "(iolden  Hind  "  from  stem  to  stern, 
and  then,  with  his  men  thoroughly  refreshed  and  in  high 


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The  World's  Discoverers 


s[»irits,  sailed  to  rcjilizc  tho  (Iruiiin  of  his  life,  the  suck 
of  laiiKi  iind  Pciiiiiiiiii. 

As  Julian  Cuibett  tells  the  story  in  his  delightful  Look 
on  Drake,  the  cruise  now  became  a  regular  picnic.  At 
one  i)oint  on  the  coast  of  Tarapaca  they  found  a  Span- 
iard asleep  with  tiiirteen  bars  of  silver  beside  him.  They 
apologized  profusely  for  disturbing  his  nap  and  politely 
insisted  on  making  amends  by  relieving  him  of  his  bur- 
den. Farther  on,  they  met  another  driving  a  train  of 
guanacos  laden  with  some  eight  hundred  pounds  of  sil- 
ver, and,  expressing  themselves  sorry  to  see  a  gentle- 
man turned  carrier,  they  took  his  place ;  but  somehow, 
as  they  afterwards  said,  they  lost  the  way  to  his  house, 
and  found  themselves  suddenly  just  where  they  had  left 
the  [)innace.  So  they  frolicked  along  that  peaceful 
coast,  Khutling  its  luxurious  slumbers  with  shouts  of 
reck;         aighter. 

B-  L.-.J  way  they  did  some  trading  with  the  natives. 
"Amongst  other  things  which  we  had  of  them,  the 
sheepe  of  the  country  [he  means  llamas]  were  most 
memorable.  Their  height  and  length  was  equall  to  a 
pretty  cow.  Upon  one  of  their  backes  did  sit  at  one  time 
three  well-grown  and  tall  men  and  one  boy,  no  mans 
foot  touching  the  ground,  the  beast  nothing  at  all  com- 
plaining of  his  burthen."  They  were  also  very  much 
entertained  at  seeing  some  of  the  shore-folk  transport- 
ing goods  on  balsas,  or  rafts  of  inflated  hides,  such  as 
are  used  to  this  day  on  Lake  Titicaca. 

Arrived  at  Arica,  the  point  where  the  almost  fabulous 
wealth  of  the  Potosi  mines  was  wont  to  be  embarked 
for  Panama,  they  still  hoped,  but  in  vain,  to  find  the 


Southwest  Passage  to  Cathay  Reopened     263 

tnmiit  "Klizalu'tli.'"  Nor  did  they  ifot  niucli  tiviisure. 
Tlicii"  ill-iL'piitc  liiid  outniii  tlit'iii,  and  tliu  town  was  in 
anus.  Only  two  barks  fell  into  llicir  hands,  laden  with 
"some  forty  and  odde  harres  of  silver  (of  the  l)ign('sse 
and  fashion  of  a  l)rick-l)atte,  and  in  waiglit  each  of 
them  a})ont  '20  pounds),  of  which  we  tooke  the  burthen 
on  ourselves  to  ease  them."  All  this  plundering,'  seems 
to  have  greatly  entertained  the  jolly  parson,  and  he 
chuckled  over  it  as  merrily  as  if  he  had  been  a  highway- 
man on  Hounslow  Heath.  Here  the  report  of  a  galleon 
that  had  escaped  nf>rthward  with  eight  hundred  bars  of 
silver  belonging  to  the  Spanish  king  stimulated  Drake 
to  hasten  after  her,  fuming  at  his  disappointment.  Alas ! 
when  he  overhauled  her,  anchored  at  Chuli,  not  a  man 
was  aboard,  not  an  ounce  of  silver.  She  had  been 
notified  of  lus  coming. 

Determined  to  reach  Lima  ahead  of  his  reputation, 
Drake  dashed  on,  under  the  guidance  of  a  pilot  whom 
he  had  seized,  slipped  unsuspected  into  the  harbor, 
in  the  dead  of  night,  and  dropped  his  anchor  in  the 
midst  of  the  shipping.  From  vessel  to  vessel  lie  went, 
but  not  an  ounce  of  silver  rewarded  the  search.  It  was 
all  ashore,  except  a  vast  quantity  recently  shipped  for 
Panama  in  a  large  vessel  nicknamed  the  "Cacafuego," 
or  "Spitfire."  They  got  no  pelf  worth  speaking  of,  but 
they  heard  news  of  Europe  for  the  first  time  since 
leaving  England,  fifteen  months  before. 

Once  more  out  to  sea,  to  chase  the  treasure-ship! 
Alas  for  huiran  impatience!  a  dead  calm  fell.  For 
three  days  not  a  breath  stirred.  Tlien  down  came  the 
Viceroy  of  Peru  with  two  thousand  men  and  sent  out 


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The  World's  Discoverers 


foiii'  ships  ((»  ciiiilMif  or  hiini  tlu'  uiidiK  ions  rovci'.  li 
looked  now  as  Llioii^fli  Lhu  littlo  emit  liad  como  to  tlu^ 
end  of  her  rope.  'I'lie  SpiUiiiirds  hnw^  o(T,  soiiiewliat 
ill  awe  of  the  Dragon.  licfore  tlicy  eould  snnnnon 
licart  to  close  with  liini,  a  breeze  sprang  n[»,  and  the 
"Golden  Hind  "  showed  them  clean  heels.  Once  mon^ 
she  spcid  on  her  foamy  way,  the  "Cacafnego"  fonrteen 


id  t(j 


hauled  before  reaching 


days  ahead  of  her,  and  to  ue  overnauie 
Panama;  else  a  royal  prize  was  missed.  Meanwhile  the 
viceroy  was  solemnly  casting  guns  to  blow  the  Dragon 
out  of  the  water,  when  he  should  come  back  that  way. 
But  the  Dragon  was  swec^jjing  towanls  the  line  on  the 
wings  of  the  wind.  All  the  wiiiie  the  "Cacafuego"  was 
lounging  easily  along,  never  dreaming  of  the  Dragon 
foaming  on  her  track.  Now  and  again  Drake  stopped 
for  a  while  to  tlally  with  ;i  juize  and  transfer  more  sil- 
ver, silks,  and  wine  to  his  hold;  all  of  which  the 
piratical  i)arson,  Fletcher,  relates  with  great  glee, 
'i'iie  scent  was  growing  hotter  all  the  time.  At  Paita, 
the  admiral  learned,  the  chase  was  but  two  days  ahead. 
On  he  sped.  At  any  hour  the  "  Cacafuego  "  might  loom 
up  on  the  horizon.  "A  gold  chain  to  him  who  first 
sights  the  cha'-'e!"  the  Admiral  ci'ied.  The  Equator  is 
crossed.  Then,  off  Cape  San  Francisco,  a  sail  is 
sighted.  Every  eye  is  fixed  on  her  as  the  eager  "  Hind  " 
rushes  on,  swiftly  overhauling  the  great,  clumsy 
stranger.  There  is  no  doubt:  it  is  she!  Young  John 
Drake,  the  Admiral's  nephew,  claims  and  gets  the 
golden  chain. 

But  the  chase  must  not  be  alarmed.     Therefore  Drake 
trails  casks  astern  and  so  deadens  his  little  ship's  head- 


Southwest  Passage  to  Cathay  Reopened     265 

Wiiy  lliiit  lio  k('('|)S  liiiiiM'lf  hull  down  until  nightfall. 
'I'lu'ii  the  "'(idldcu  Hind"  iiislics  on  Iici  [H'cy,  tires  a 
HJMylc!  shot,  runs  alongside,  and  in  a  Iwinldc  is  niistri'ss 
of  II  prize  that  would  buy  a  (ioiinan  kin^^doni. 

Six  days  they  lay  side  l»y  side.  The  I'acetious  parson 
wi'ites  that  this  was  in  order  'Mo  recover  (»ur  hrcath 
a^'aine,  whieh  we  had  almost  s[)ent  with  hasty  I'ollow- 
ing,  hut  especially  to  do  John  de  Anton  a  kindnesse,  in 
freeing  him  of  tin  eare  of  those  things  with  whieh  his 
ship  was  htaden."  These  he  ennin(U'ates  as  ''a  certaino 
quantitie  of  jewels  and  precious  stones,  1*  (dussts  of 
ryals  of  plate,  80  poiuid  waight  in  gold,  '.]{'>  tunne  of 
uncoyned  silver,  two  very  faire  gilt  silver  drinking 
boules,  and  the  like  trifles  [I],  valued  in  all  at  about 
3G0,OuO  pezoes.  For  these  conmiodities  we  gave  the 
iuaster  a  little  linnen  and  then  we  bad  farewell  and 
parted." 

Literally  ballasted  with  silver,  the  "Golden  Hind" 
parted  from  her  victim.  'J'he  latter  made  for  Panama, 
light  in  freight,  but  heavy  at  heart,  to  carry  the  news 
that  the  dreaded  corsair,  who  had  made  his  name 
a  terror  on  the  Istliious  six  years  before,  was  now  rav- 
aging the  Pacific. 

There  was  booty  enough  beneath  her  hatches  to  enrie^' 
every  man  in  Drake's  ship,  and  there  was  nothing  to 
l)e  done  now  but  to  find  a  way  home.  But  what  way  ? 
To  return  by  the  route  he  had  come  was  perilous.  The 
whole  coast  was  up  in  arms.  Troops  were  marching 
hither  and  thither.  Good  bishops  were  giving  the 
chimes  of  their  cathedrals  to  be  cast  into  guns  to  sink 
the  deadly  Dragon,  the  enemy  of  God  and  man.     Ships 


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were  out  searching  for  him.  The  best  naval  officer  on 
the  coast  had  stationed  himself  at  the  Straits  of  Magel- 
lan, to  bar  his  return.  But  Drake's  adventurous  sjiirit 
yet  tliirsted  for  discovery,  and  he  took  a  bold  resolve. 

Englisli  geographers  fully  believed  that  there  was  a 
passage  from  ocean  to  ocean  to  the  north  of  America. 
Frobisher  tliought  tliat  he  had  found  tlie  entrance  of  it 
two  years  before  Drake  sailed.  It  was  even  named, — 
the  Strait  of  Anian.  It  is  needless  to  say  no  man  had 
traversed  it.  Drake  resolved  to  have  this  glory.  He 
would  enter  it,  find  his  way  through,  and  having  cir- 
cunniavigated  America,  sail  home  witli  the  renown  of 
having  opened  an  English  road  to  Cathay,  and  with  the 
vicliest  booty  that  ever  ship  carried. 

So,  while  Soiitli  America,  from  Panama  to  Patagonia, 
was  watching  for  him,  the  dauntless  corsair  bore  north- 
ward. 

They  put  in  for  repairs  and  provisions  at  the  "  Island 
of  Caines,"  which  seems  to  have  pleased  the  chaplain 
greatly.  He  says :  "■  we  found  here  many  good  commod- 
ities which  we  wanted,  as  fish,  fresh  water,  wood,  etc., 
alaigartoes  [alligators],  munckeyes,  and  the  like.'* 
Here  also  they  took  another  prize,  "loaden  with  linnen, 
C-hina  silke  and  Cliina-dishes,  besides  a  faulcon  of  gold, 
handsomely  wrouglit,  with  a  great  emerald  set  in  the 
brest  of  it." 

At  Guatulco  Drake  did  a  characteristic  thing.  Land- 
ing, he  found  the  alcaldes  (alderman)  of  the  town  sitting. 
He  laid  the  whole  board  by  the  heels,  bundled  them  in 
a  body  on  his  ship,  and  made  them  send  an  order  for 
every   man    to  leave    the   town.      Then   he   held   the 


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Southwest  Passage  to  Cathay  Reopened     267 

I)iiralyzcd  olBcials  as  hostages,  while  he  vietualetl  uii- 
mok^stcd  from  the  Spanish  storeliouses.  The  next  (la\' 
he  was  speeJing  northward  again. 

liiuniing  up  the  California  coast,  off  Cape  Mendocino 
he  encountered  a  storm  of  extraordinary  severity.  The 
rigging  was  frozen,  and  the  men,  coming  from  the 
tropics,  were  nearly  paralyzed  with  the  cold. 

"'Our  Cenerall,"  says  Fletcher,  "by  comfortable 
speeches  of  the  divine  providence  and  of  God's  loving 
care  over  his  children,  as  also  by  his  own  cheerfuU  exam- 
ine stirred  them  to  a  good  courage  and  to  quit  them- 
selves like  men." 

So  they  went  on.  It  was  only  when  he  reached  the 
latitude  of  Vancouver  that  he  gave  up  the  quest  of  the 
Northwest  Passngo.  l>y  this  time  another  great  re- 
solve had  formed  itself  in  his  mind.  This  was  nothing 
less  than  to  strike  across  the  broad  Pacific  and  to  reach 
home  by  the  route  around  the  Cape  of  Cfood  Hope,  or  to 
die  in  the  attempt.  There  was  a  circumstance  that 
encouraged  him  in  this  apparently  reckless  undertaking. 

In  one  of  his  prizes  he  had  made  a  capture  of  price- 
less value,  — the  secret  charts  by  which  Spain  conducted 
her  rich  traffic  in  the  Eastern  Asiatic  Archi[)eIago. 
Remember  that  up  to  this  tnne  the  Pacific  iuul  the 
Indian  oceans  were  exclusively  Spanish  and  Portuguese 
waters  and  to  an  Englishman  were  unki.  -wn  and  un- 
charted seas.  Now  Drake  had  the  key  to  the  intricate 
navigation  of  the  East  Indies  snug  in  his  cabin. 

But  first  the  "  Golden  Hind  "  must  be  got  ready  for 
the  trementhms  venture.  Therefore  he  ran  back  to  a 
natural  harbor  near  the   place  where  the  city  of  San 


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Francisco  now  stands.  There,  while  the  simple  natives 
looked  on  in  wonder,  the  "  Golden  Hind  "  was  docked, 
cleaned,  and  thoroughly  refitted. 

Here  the  guileless  natives  would  fain  have  made 
Drake  their  king,  seeing  in  him  and  his  conn'ades  men 
of  a  heavenly  race.  He  declined  the  honor,  but  took 
possession  of  the  country  in  the  name  of  his  royal  mis- 
tress, by  right  of  original  discovery,  calling  it  New 
Albion,  both  on  account  of  the  white  cliffs,  and  that 
"it  might  have  some  affinity  with  our  own  country." 

On  the  25th  of  July  the  audacious  little  craft,  the 
only  English  keel  in  all  that  ocean,  sailed  boldly  out 
into  the  Pacific,  taking  a  bee-line  for  the  Moluccas. 
Whether  in  sheer  recklessness,  or  because  he  had  all 
the  plunder  he  could  carry  and  was  not  courting  Spanish 
company,  Drake  avoided  the  regular  trade-route  and 
laid  a  course  for  himself,  steering,  as  it  were,  by  in- 
spiration. Day  after  day  the  sun  rose  out  of  the  eastern, 
wheeled  over  their  heads,  and  sank  in  the  western 
waste,  without  a  single  sail's  breaking  the  monotonous 
circle  where  sea  and  sky  met.  Days  lengthened  into 
weeks,  weeks  into  months.  Meanwhile  they  were  once 
more  near  the  Equator.  Then,  sixty-eight  days  after 
they  had  lost  sight  of  land,  the  new  Argonauts  ran  in 
amongst  the  Carolines. 

It  would  make  our  story  too  long  to  relate  a  tenth  of 
the  novel  experiences  that  befell  them  in  these  waters 
and  among  these  islands,  new  to  English  eyes ;  how  the 
"  Golden  Hind "  threaded  her  way  through  perilous 
channels,  and  how  she  escaped  innumerable  dangers. 
She  had  left  England  in  1577;  it  was  now  1580,  and 


Southwest  Passage  to  Cathay  Reopened     269 

still  tliousiiuds  of  miles  separated  her  from  home.  Once, 
bowling  along  befoie  a  fine  topsail  breeze,  she  ran  full 
tilt  on  a  reef.  Every  device  of  seamanship  was  tried 
in  vain.  Heavily  freighted  with  treasure,  she  would 
not  budge.  All  around  the  reef  v/as  deep  water,  so  that 
no  hold  coidd  be  got  for  {inchors  to  warp  her  out. 
Apparently,  the  "  Golden  Hind  "  had  laid  her  down  to 
die,  and  the  enormous  wealth  she  carried  in  Iier  hold 
would  not  save  her  crew  from  a  worse  fate  than  a  beg- 
gar's. Twenty  hours  she  lay  there.  Facing  death  as 
inevitable,  the  mariners  solemnly  took  the  sacrament 
together.  As  one  of  the  old  chroniclers  satirically  put 
it,"  each  theefe  reconciled  himself  unto  bis  fello  theefe." 

Then,  in  ''esi)eration,  Drake  began  to  heave  over 
guns,  spice:s,  anything  that  would  lighten  her.  Sud- 
denly she  slid  gently  off  the  rock,  unhurt,  and  held  on 
her  way.  It  seemed  almost  a  miracle.  No  wonder  that 
the  pious  shipmen  attributed  their  escape  to  a  direct 
interposition  of  Divine  Providence.  Two  months  more 
they  still  groped  their  way  through  intricate  channels, 
beaten  about  by  baffling  gales.  By  March,  however, 
they  were  clear  of  the  archipelago ;  and  in  two  months 
more  they  were  ploughing  their  way  tln-ough  open  seas 
towards  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  This  they  pronounced 
the  most  majestic  object  that  they  had  seen  in  all  their 
wanderings. 

Well  might  Drake  be  jubilant  and  happy.  His 
prayer  that  he  might  sail  an  English  ship  in  the  South 
Sea  had  been  answered.  He  had  crossed  it  from  side  to 
side.  He  had  wrested  from  Spain  the  sceptre  of  mari- 
time supremacy.     Her  secret  of  the   far  East  was  no 


£ 


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270 


The  World's  Discoverers 


"1 


secret  now.  The  Soutliwcst  Road  to  Cathay  and 
Cipango  hiy  open  to  Englishmen. 

What  of  things  at  home  in  the  mean  time  ?  For  more 
than  a  year  not  a  word  abont  Drake  had  reached  Eng- 
hmd,  except  a  vague  rumor  that  the  Spaniards  had 
caught  and  hanged  him.  Then  Wynter  came  liome 
with  the  story  of  tlie  storm  in  whicli  lie  had  parted 
company  with  the  "Golden  Hind,"  and  in  which  lie 
doubted  not  she  had  gone  down.  Suddenly  the  Spanish 
ambassador  brought  the  astounding  news,  just  received 
from  his  master  at  ^Madrid,  that  the  Viceroy  of  Mexico 
had  reported  the  Dragon  pillaging  the  Pacific  coast. 
Then  for  a  long  time  there  was  utter  and  ominous 
silence.  No  more  was  known  of  Drake  than  if  his  bones 
were  bleaching  on  some  unknown  islet  of  the  Pacific, 
as  many  devoutly  prayed  that  they  would. 

One  day,  in  the  fall  of  1580,  a  worm-eaten  little  craft, 
her  bottom  foul  with  weeds  and  barnacles,  labored  into 
Pl^-mouth  Sound.  It  was  the  glorious  little  "Golden 
Hind,"  that  had  accomplished  a  voyage  that  still  stands 
admired  amid  the  world's  heroic  achievements. 

Of  course  there  was  excitement  at  court.  Philip  was 
then  at  the  zenith  of  his  power,  and  it  seemed  incred- 
ibly rash  for  little  England  to  arouse  his  vengeance. 
The  peace  party  clamored  for  severe  measures  against 
the  audacious  pirate  who  had  flaunted  defiance  in  the 
face  of  haughty  Spain.  Troublous  times  were  ahead  of 
him,  Drake  well  kn3w.  But  of  one  thing  he  was  sure, 
—  of  Elizabeth's  secret  sympathy  and  protection;  and 
he  was  scarcely  the  man  to  be  daunted  at  the  opposi- 
tion  of  subjects  of  any  degree.     When   the  expected 


South wesi  Passage  to  Cathay  Reopened     271 

summons  to  court  cume,  he  promptly  set  out,  but  not 
alone.  A  whole  train  of  pack-horses  canied  the  pick  of 
his  plunder,  a  timely  offering  iutendecl  to  appease  the 
wrath  of  his  most  influential  opp(ments.  Honest  old 
Burleigh  would  have  none  of  it;  but  not  so  all. 

Who  could  be  obdurate  towards  a  man  who  seemed 
to  have  at  his  command  all  the  wealth  of  the  Indies,  and 
whose  common  sailors  swaggered  through  the  streets 
blazing  with  gold  and  gems  ? 

The  Queen  gave  orders  that  the  treasure  should  be 
registered  and  sent  up  to  London,  but,  characteristi- 
cally, she  sent  a  private  letter  to  the  official  in  charge, 
bidding  him  turn  his  back  while  Drake  should  have 
opportunity  to  remove  secretly  ten  thousand  pounds' 
worth  of  bullion.  This  would  amount  to  millions  in 
value,  as  prices  go  now ;  and  this  was  but  a  part  of  the 
great  rover's  reward. 

Soon  Elizabeth  threw  aside  all  disguise  and  showed 
the  greatest  favor  to  Drake.  He  was  the  hero  of  the 
day.  Crowds  thronged  to  see  the  little  "  Golden  K\d," 
hauled  ashore  at  Deptford.  To  cap  the  climax,  one 
day  her  gracious  Majesty  came  down  and  was  royally 
banqueted  on  board.  Then,  on  the  deck  of  the  gallant 
little  ship,  she  knighted  "the  master-thief  of  the  un- 
known world,"  who  lived  many  years  longer  to  make 
*5pamards  quake  when  they  saw  the  dragon  escutcheon 
bearing  down  upon  them.  As  long  as  her  timbers 
held  together,  the  stout  little  "Golden  Hind  "  was  pre- 
served in  honor,  as  the  first  English  craft  that  had 
clapped  a  girdle  about  the  globe  and  laid  open  the  road 
to  Cathay. 


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272 


The  World's  Discoverers 


CHAPTER  XXVII 


DUTCH  EXPLOKEKS   VISIT  NOVA   ZEMllLA 


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"NoTHiN(^  in  nil  the  history  of  Arctic  adventure  is 
more  full  of  romance  and  heroism  than  the  three  voy- 
ages of  William  Harentz,  in  the  last  of  which  he 
perished  from  hardship.  A  born  leader  of  men,  a 
true  devotee  of  science,  endless  in  resources,  of  zeal 
unquenchable,  great-hearted,  blithe,  and  lovable,  he 
stands  in  the  front  rank  of  the  world's  great  sailors." 

This  ehxpient  tri])ute  of  Dr.  John  Fiske  expresses  the 
universal  sentiment  of  the  civilized  world.  Few  achieve- 
ments of  their  kind  have  atti-actcd  so  much  attention  or 
have  received  a  greater  degree  of  admiration  than  these 
voyages  of  the  brave  Dutchman  and  his  staunch  com- 
rades. The  story  of  them  has  been  translated  into 
many  languages  and  has  been  followed  with  deep  inter- 
est by  thousands  of  readers.  Wherever  the  higiiest 
(pialities  of  manhood  are  a})preciated,  these  hardy  ex- 
plorers will  ever  be  honored.  We  nuist  content  our- 
selves with  a  sketch  of  the  last  and  most  important 
ex[)edition. 

Indirectly,  Drake's  voyage,  just  related,  led  to  these 
famous  ventures  of  the  Dutch.  Ilis  pliuidering  the 
South  American  coast  was  one  of  the  chief  causes  that 
brought   on  war  between   England  and   Spain.      The 


Dutch  Explorers  Visit  Nova  Zembla     273 

defeat  of  the  Invincible  Annatla  so  loosened  the  hitter's 
hold  on  the  Netherlands,  that  the  Dutch  immediately 
took  advantage  of  their  greater  freedom  to  exert  them- 
selves in  an  endeavor  to  reach  China  by  a  northeast 
route.  Three  successive  expeditions  were  sent  out. 
The  following  sketch  is  taken  from  the  journal  ad- 
mirably kept  by  Gerrit  de  Veer  and,  soon  after  its 
publication,    translated   into    English. 

On  the  10th  of  May,  1596,  two  vessels,  of  one  of 
which  William  Barentz  was  chief  pilot,  and  John  Cor- 
nelison  Rip  of  the  other,  sailed  from  Amsterdam.  On 
the  5th  of  .June  they  encountered  the  first  ice.  One 
of  the  men  on  deck,  seeing  it  shining  in  the  sunlight 
on  the  horizon,  shouted  that  he  saw  white  swans.  This 
was  in  the  evening.  By  midnight  they  reached  it  and 
sailed  through  it,  the  sun  being  then,  at  his  lowest, 
about  one  degree  above  the  horizon  in  the  north.  On 
the  11th  of  June  they  rowed  to  the  land,  and  gathered 
"a  great  store  of  sea-mews'  eggs  upon  the  slioare." 
After  climbing  a  hill  covered  with  snow,  they  found  it 
a  harder  task  to  descend,  on  account  of  its  being  exceed- 
ingly steep  and  slippery.  But  tobogganing  down  on  the 
seats  of  their  trousers,  "by  God's  help  wee  got  safely 
downe  againe."  Then  th-'v  went  on  board  and  enjoyed 
their  feast  of  fresh  eggs. 

The  next  day  they  saw  a  white  bear  and  rowed  after 

it,  to  throw  a  noose  over  it,  for  it  seems  that  they  were 

without  arms.     But   when   they  came  up   to   it,  they 

concluded  that  it  was  too  formidable  to  be  dealt  with 

in  that  way.     So  they  rowed  back  to  the  ship,  to  get 

more  men  and  their  weapons.     Then  they  "  made  to  her 

18 


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The  World's  Discoverers 


agaiiiG  witli  muskets,  luirgubiishes  [arquebuses],  lial- 
bcrtcs,  and  hatchets,  John  Cornelysoi/s  men  comming 
also  with  their  boate  to  lielp  us."  Now  the  two  boats' 
crews  attacked  the  })ear,  "and  fought  with  lier  while 
four  glasses  were  runne  out  [Think  of  that!  A  two 
liours'  fusillade  to  kill  one  animal!],  for  our  weapons 
could  doc  her  little  hurt."  At  last,  however,  they 
succeeded  in  killing  the  beast,  but  not  before  it  had 
further  astonished  them  by  swimming  off  once  with  an 
axe  sticking  fast  in  its  back.  After  all,  the  bear  had 
the  last  innings ;  for  when  they  ate  some  of  it,  it  did 
not  agree  with  them. 

Well  might  they  call  that  island  Bear  Island,  by 
which  name  the  Russians  know  it  to  this  day. 

A  day  or  two  later  they  had  an  encounter  which  is 
related  thus  quaintly :  "  Wee  saw  a  great  thing  driving 
[drifting]  in  the  sea,  but  passing  along  by  it  wee  per- 
ceived it  to  bee  a  dead  whale  that  stouncke  mon- 
sterously;  and  on  it  there  sate  a  great  number  of  sea 
mewes."  A  dead  whale,  it  seems,  is  no  uncommon 
sight.  Many  hundreds  of  miles  due  south  from  the 
point  where  the  Dutch  voyagers  saw  this  one,  is  a  bay, 
on  the  coast  of  Lapland,  in  which,  according  to  a  dis- 
tinguished modern  explorer,  "a  number  of  dead  whales 
are  stranded  every  summer,  sometimes  as  many  as  ten." 

On  the  21st  of  June  they  came  to  anchor  in  a  strait 
near  the  northeastern  extremity  of  Spitzbergen.  Here 
they  had  another  perilous  adventure  with  a  bear.  At 
the  first  it  came  swimming  towards  the  ship.  But 
some  of  the  men  put  out  in  a  boat,  headed  it  off,  and 
drove   it  out  to  sea.     It  swam   out  as  much  as  four 


Dutch  Explorers  Visit  Nova  Zembla      275 

miles,  they  all  the  while  pursuing  in  three  htnits,  "cut- 
ting and  heuwing  her,  so  that  all  our  arms  were  most 
broken  in  peiees.  During  our  fight  with  her  shee  stroke 
her  clawes  in  our  boate,  that  the  signes  thereof  were 
seene  in  it;  but  as  hap  was,  it  was  forward  ii  the  stern 
of  the  boat,  for  if  it  had  been  in  the  midle  thereof,  shee 
had  peradventure  overthrown  it,  they  have  such  force 
in  tlieir  clawes."  At  last  the  animal  was  wearied  out 
and  killed.  When  it  had  Ijcen  flayed,  the  "skinne  was 
thirteen  foote  long"! 

On  a  small  island  they  found  many  brent  geese  or 
barnacle  geese  sitting  on  their  nests.  "As  they  sate, 
wee  killed  one  goose  dead  with  a  stone,  which  we 
dresst  and  eate,  and  at  least  sixty  egges,  that  wee  tooke 
with  us  aboard  the  shippe.  These  geese  come  into 
Holland  and  every  yeere  are  there  taken  in  abundance, 
but  till  this  time  it  was  never  known  where  the}  hatcht 
their  egges;  so  that  some  men  have  taken  upon  them 
to  write  that  they  sit  upon  trees  in  Scotland,  that  hang 
over  the  water,  and  such  egges  as  fall  from  them  down 
into  the  water  become  young  geese,  but  those  that  fall 
upon  the  land  burst  in  sunder  and  are  lost."  This  pas- 
sage refers  to  one  of  the  absurd  notions  credited  in  the 
sixteenth  century,  not  merely  by  the  ignorant,  but  by 
the  most  learned  scholars  and  best-informed  naturalists. 
iVccording  to  the  account  given  by  the  erudite  John 
(ierard,  in  1597,  there  are  in  the  north  of  Scotland  and 
in  the  Orkneys  certain  trees  whereon  grow  shells  con- 
taining living  creatures.  When  these  shells  mature, 
they  open:  whereupon  their  contents  falling  into  the 
water  become  "fowles  which  we  call  barnakles;  in  the 


.!';) 


in  ,' 


I 


276 


The  World's  Discoverers 


North  of  Eiigliiiul,  l)nint  geese;  iu  Liinciisliirc,  tree 
geese."  lie  adds  solemnly :  "For  the  truth  hereof,  if 
any  tloubt,  may  it  please  tiiem  to  repaire  unto  me,  and 
I  siiall  satisiiu  them  by  the  testinionie  of  good 
witnesses." 

Such  was  the  "science"  of  the  sixteenth  century. 
When  we  lind  a  dictionary  a  hundred  years  later  defin- 
ing a  salamander  as  an  animal  which  is  so  exceedingly 
cold  that  if  it  goes  into  a  fire  "it  straightway  putteth 
out  the  fire,  by  reason  of  its  coldness;"  and  when  we 
find  that  famous  scholar,  Dr.  Sanuiel  Johnson,  denying 
that  swallows  migrate  in  winter,  and  stoutly  allirming 
that  "  they  do  conglobulate  themselves  and,  plunging  to 
the  bottom  of  a  river,  lie  there  till  spring,"  we  realize 
the  advance  of  knowledge,  since  children  in  a  grammar 
school  would  not  credit  such  notions  to-day. 

The  valiant  Dutchmen  sailed  on  into  the  vast  un- 
known, hugging  the  wild  shores  of  Spitzbergen,  then 
visited  probably  for  the  first  time,  till  they  doubled 
its  northern  extrcmit}'.  Thence  they  sailed  almost 
due  south,  until  on  the  2d  of  July  they  were  at 
Bear  Island  again,  having  made  a  loop  around  Spitz- 
bergen. Then  John  Cornelison  and  his  officers  came 
aboard,  to  discuss  their  future  movements.  As  there 
was  a  difference  of  opinion,  it  was  finally  agreed  that 
each  should  choose  his  own  course.  In  consequence, 
Cornelison  turned  back  towards  the  80tli  parallel,  be- 
lieving that  there  he  would  find  an  opening  to  the  east- 
ward, while  Heemskercke's  ship,  of  which  Barentz  v/as 
chief  pilot,  headed  away  southeasterly  towards  Nova 
Zembla,  wliich  they  sighted   on  the  17th.     Now  they 


Dutch  Explorers  Visit  Nova  Zcmbla      277 

turned  north  a<,'iiin,   following'  tlic  coast,   except  when 
ice  conipclK'd  them  to  stand  out  to  sea. 

On  the  20th  they  had  one  of  tlieir  cluiracteristic 
adventures  wliich  is  rehited  with  quaint  frankness. 
(j}oin<^'  on  the  hind,  they  met  "two  heares  whicii  rose  up 
upon  their  hinder  feete  to  sec  us  (for  they  smell  further 
than  tliey  see);  and  for  tiiat  they  smelt  us,  therefore 
they  rose  upright  and  came  towards  us,  wherewith  we 
were  not  a  little  ahashed,  in  such  sort  that  wee  had 
little  lust  [desire]  to  laugh,  and  in  all  haste  went  to 
our  hoate  againe,  still  looking  hehind  us  to  see  if  they 
followed  us,  thinking  to  get  into  the  boate  and  so  i)ut 
off  from  the  land:  hut  the  master  stayed  us,  saying,  hee 
that  first  beginnes  to  runne  away,  I  will  thrust  this 
hake-stalfe  (which  hee  then  held  in  his  hand)  into  his 
ribs,  for  it  is  better  for  us  (sayd  hee)  to  stay  altogether, 
and  see  if  we  can  make  them  afraid  with  whooping  and 
liallowing;  and  so  we  went  softly  towards  the  boate  and 
gote  away,  glad  that  wee  had  escaped  there  clawes,  and 
that  w'ee  had  the  leysure  to  tell  our  fellowes  thereof." 

Henceforth  every  few  days  we  have  the  killing  of  a 
bear  recorded.  The  party  seem  to  have  outgrown  some- 
thing of  their  original  terror  of  these  animals.  Jiy  the 
15th  of  August  they  had  come  to  the  island  of  Orange, 
at  the  northern  end  of  Nova  Zembla,  Avhich  they  had 
discovered  and  named  in  the  previous  year.  There  they 
were  shut  in  by  the  ice,  and  for  some  time  -were  in  great 
danger  of  losing  their  ship.  Finally  with  nuich  labor 
they  extricated  themselves.  "  While  we  were  busied 
thereabouts  and  made  much  noise,  a  beare  that  lay  there 
and  slept,  awaked,  and  came  towards  us  to  the  ship, 


;!  n\ 


\uk 


r-r-M 


II 


tilt 


t  , 


m  i     1 
^^  il 


278 


The  World's  Discoverers 


HO  that  wo  w'vvii  forct'd  to  leave  our  workc  about  turn- 
ing; of  the  sliip,  aud  to  defend  ourselves  against  the 
heare,  and  shot  her  into  the  body,  wherewilh  she  ran 
away  to  the  otiier  side  of  the  island,  and  swam  into  the 
wat(M'  and  got  up  upon  a  peeec;  of  ice,  where  shee  lay 
still;  hnt  wee  eonuning  after  her  to  the  peece  of  iee 
where  shee  lay,  wheji  shee  saw  us  she  lea[)t  into  the 
water  and  swam  to  the  land,  but  wee  got  between  her 
and  tJKf  land  and  stroke  her  on  the  head  with  a  hatchet, 
but  as  often  as  we  stroke  at  her  with  the  hatchet,  she 
(budct  under  the  water,  whereby  we  had  much  to  do 
before  we  could  kill  her." 

The  next  day  some  of  the  men  went  ashore  and 
climbed  a  high  hill,  to  view  "the  lay  of  the  land." 
To  their  intense  joy  they  saw  open  water  to  the  south- 
east. They  imagined  that  they  were  nearing  the  end 
of  their  trials,  had  accomplished  the  purpose  of  the 
voyage,  and  had  earned  the  reward  offered  by  the 
States,  which  had  promised  a  considerable  sum  of 
money,  in  case  "  it  should  bee  made  apparent  that  the 
sayd  passage  [by  the  northeast  of  Europe  and  Asia]  was 
to  be  say  led."  In  their  joy  they  knew  not  how  to 
"get  soon  inough  on  boord  to  certifie  William  IJarentz 
thereof."  Alas!  they  little  dreamed  what  lay  before 
them. 

Now  they  turned  the  northern  extremity  of  Nova 
Zembla  and  began  to  head  southward.  But  their  course 
was  beset  wuth  difficulties  and  perils.  A  powerful  cur- 
rent swept  them  around  the  headland,  driving  the  ice 
with  threatening  force  against  the  ship  and  the  cable 
that  she  had  out ;  "  so  that  wee  were  in  feare  that  we 


■hi 


Dutch  Explorers  Visit  Nova  Zembla      279 

should  lose;  all  the  cuhk',  wliicli  was  200  fudonic  lit 
least;  but  (lod  provided  well  for  us,  so  that  in  the 
end  wee  ^'ot  to  th((  phun;  agaiiK!  from  wlu'nce  wee 
put   out." 

Now,  day  after  day,  they  strove  to  extricate  tlieni- 
stdves  and  to  reaeli  the  open  water  which  they  liad 
seen.  Hut  tiiey  were  always  halllcd  and  beaten  back 
by  the  rushint^  current  and  the  driving  ice.  Once  "  wo 
went  up  upon  the  ice  and  wondered  much  thereat,  it  was 
such  manner  of  ice:  for  on  the  top  it  was  ful  of  earth, 
and  there  we  found  above  forty  egges,  and  it  was  not 
like  other  ice,  for  it  was  of  a  perfect  azure  coloure,  like 
to  the  skies,  whereby  there  grew  great  contention  in 
words  amongst  our  men,  some  saying  that  it  was  ice, 
others  that  it  was  frozen  land:  for  it  lay  unreasonable 
high  above  the  water."  Other  travelers  have  described 
this  deep-blue  ice. 

After  various  trying  experiences,  on  the  2Gth  of 
August  their  fate  came  upon  them.  Having  vainly 
striven  to  make  their  way  out  to  the  open  water  to  the 
southeast,  find  being  hindered  by  the  drifting  ice  from 
following  the  coast  southwestward,  they  resolved  to 
give  up  the  attempt  and  to  return  by  the  w.iy  they  had 
come,  that  is,  around  the  northern  end  of  Nova  Zend)la. 
It  was  already  too  late!  They  were  shut  in.  "And  at 
that  time  we  had  like  to  have  lost  three  men  that  were 
upon  the  ice  to  make  way  for  the  ship  "  (by  cutting  a 
passage).  It  seems  that,  the  ice  and  the  ship  moving 
in  opposite  directions,  the  men  were  nearly  swept  away. 
"  But  God,  by  the  nimbleness  of  their  hands,  delivered 
them  out  of  that  danger,  which  was  a  pittifull  thing  to 


I?. 
\  'I 


'    [,: 


■t^ilHii 


280 


The  World's  Discoverers 


l)eliokl,  for  if  they   had   not  beene   nimble,  they  liail 
surely  dyed  for  it." 

"  The  same  day  in  the  evening  we  got  to  the  west 
side  of  the  Ice  Haven,  where  we  were  forced,  in  great 
cold,  poverty,  misery,  and  grief,  to  stay  all  that 
winter." 


Winter-Bound  on  Nova  Zembla       281 


CIIArTER  XXVIII 

WINTER-BOUND   ON  NOVA   ZEMBLA 

WiTir  tlic  pathetic  words  quoted  at  the  close  of  :ho 
preceduig-  chapter  begins  the  story  of  one  of  the  n-wt 
tryinf,'  experiences  in  the  whole  record  of  Arctic  explcni- 
tioii,  bi)rne  with-a  patience  and  heroic  fortitude  worthy 
of  the   highest  admiration.      It   nuist   bo   remembered 
that  there  was  no  exi)ei'ience  of  a  successful  winteriii"- 
in    Polar   regions    to   encourage    tlie    explorers.       The 
unfortunate  Sir  Hugh  Willoughby,  with   all  his  com- 
panions, had  perished  forty-two  years  earlier.     There- 
fore there  were  no  rules  of  diet,  clothing,  and  exercise, 
such  as  successive  generations  have  accujnulated;  none 
of  the  appliances  which,  in  our  day,   make  it  possible 
for  the  Arctic  explorer  to  sit  down,  on  board  his  vessel 
shut  in  by  the  ice,  iu  a  cabin  lighted  by  electricity,  to 
a  table  generously  supplieil  with    canned    fresh    meats 
and  fresh  vegetu!)les.     Our    Dutchmen  were    veritid)le 
pioneers    in    this    Held.     It    was  a  stern,  grim,,   deadly 
necessity  that  held  them  fast  in  its  vise-like  grip,  with 
none  of  the  alleviations  Vvhich  modern  science  has  pro- 
vided.    They  had  but  their  own  stout  hearts    and  an 
unfailing    trust   in    God.      When    we    consider  all  the 
adverse  circumstances,  we  must  admit  that  the  story  of 
the   next  year   is   au   astonishing   one.     Its  relatively 


rt 


282 


The  World's  Discoverers 


ii     '■  I 


m 


Mi 


happy   issue  was   duo   to   tlie   high  moral  qualities  of 
I  atience,  good  sense,  industry,  courage,  and  faith. 

The  27th  of  August  the  bow  of  the  ship  was  lifted 
about  four  feet.  Those  who  were  on  board  made  prep- 
arations to  leave  her  and  signaled  to  those  who  were 
ashore  to  come,  expecting  that  she  would  be  crushed. 
The  next  day  she  slipped  down  out  of  the  ice  with 
such  a  loud  crack  as  made  them  all  think  that  it  was  the 
end  of  her.  The  next  day  they  tried  "with  yron 
hookes  and  other  instruments  to  breake  the  flakes  of 
ice  that  lay  one  heaped  upon  the  other,  but  al  in  vaine ; 
so  that  we  determined  to  commit  ourselves  to  the  mercie 
of  God  and  to  attend  ayde  from  him." 

Day  after  day  the  conditions  grew  worse,  with  high 
winds  and  snow,  the  drifting  ice  grinding  against  the 
sides  of  the  vessel  and  sometimes  lifting  one  end  or  the 
other  several  feet.  More  than  once  the  boats  were  got 
out  on  the  ice,  with  the  expectation  that  the  ship  would 
go  to  pieces.  On  the  2d  of  Septembt.-,  in  a  violent 
snow-i."torm,  the  ice  cracking  with  great  noise,  they 
determined  to  carry  ashore  thirteen  barrels  of  bread  and 
two  casks  of  wine,  so  that  they  might  be  provided 
against  a  sudden  emergency.  By  the  5th  the  weather 
was  clear,  but  very  cold.  The  ship  had  a  considerable 
list  and  was  leaking  badly.  Therefore  it  was  thought 
prudent  to  carry  ashore  some  powder,  lead,  muskets, 
and  other  necessaries,  with  an  additi(mal  stock  of  pro- 
visions, as  well  as  some  carpenter's  tools,  and  to  make 
a  tent  or  hut  over  one  of  the  boats  that  had  been  drawn 
ashore.  All  tliis  time,  however,  they  clung  to  the  ship, 
evidently   in   the    liope  of  release.     But  each  day  the 


Winter-Bound  on  Nova  Zeinbla       283 

prospect  grew  more  discouraging.  By  (lie  lllli  of  Sep- 
leiiibej-,  the  winter  drawing  on  lapidly,  tliey  realized  the 
situation  and  resolved  to  face  the  necessity  ol"  winter- 
ing there  with  good  courage  and  with  faith.  Some  of 
the  men,  exploring  the  land  a  few  (hiys  earlier,  had 
re[)orted  having  "  I'onnd  a  river  of  sweet  water,  with 
great   store    of    wood    tliut   had    bin    driven    thither." 


HOUSE-BUILDINU    IN   THK   ARCTIC    KKOIONS 

This  was  about  eight  miles  away.  A  purty  v.as  sent 
out  to  ascertain  the  truth  of  this  statement.  The 
result  was,  that  "  we  found  an  unexpected  comfort  in 
our  need,  which  was  that  we  found  certain  trees,  roots 
and  all,  which  had  bin  driven  upon  the  shoare,  either 
from  Tartaria  [Siberia]  or  Muscovia  [Russia],  or  else- 
where; wherewith  (as  if  God  had  purposely  sent  them 


(  ■■  i 


I 


' 


'^1 


!  f  ft 


il: 


(I 


I  ll 


284 


The  World's  Discoverers 


Sih'-  ' 


to  lis)  we  were  miicli  comforted,  being  in  good  hope 
that  God  would  shew  us  some  further  favour;  for  that 
wood  served  us  not  only  to  build  an  house,  but  also  to 
burne  and  serve  us  all  the  winter  long;  otherwise 
witiiout  all  doubt  we  had  died  there  miserably  with 
extreme  cold. 

"  The  loth  of  September  wee  saw  three  beares,  whereof 
the  one  lay  still  behind  a  peece  of  ice  and  the  other 
two  came  close  to  the  ship,  wi:ich  we  perceiving,  made 
our  peeces  ready  to  shoote  at  them ;  at  which  time  there 
stood  a  tub  full  of  beef  upon  the  ice ;  one  of  the  beares 
went  unto  it  and  put  his  head  into  the  tulj  to  take  out 
a  peece  of  the  beef,  but  she  fared  therewith  as  the  dog 
did  with  the  pudding ;  for  as  she  was  snatching  at  the 
beefe,  she  was  shot  into  the  head,  wherewith  she  fell 
downe  dead  and  never  stird.  There  we  saw  a  curious 
sight:  the  other  beare  stood  still  and  lookt  upon  her 
fellow;  and  when  she  had  stood  a  good  while  she  smelt 
her  fellow,  and  perceiving  that  she  was  dead,  went 
away,  but  we  tooke  halberts  and  other  amies  with  us 
and  followed  her."  This  second  animal,  in  spite  of 
being  shot  in  the  body,  made  its  escape.  The  same  day 
a  sled  was  built  for  hauling  wood  to  the  place  where  the 
house  was  to  be  reared. 

Now  we  have,  d;iy  after  day,  the  record  of  syste- 
matic work  in  hauling  driftwood.  September  21  was  so 
cold  that  the  cook's  galley  had  to  be  taken  below,  be- 
cause everything  froze  on  the  deck.  On  the  23d,  "our 
earpentur  dyed  as  we  came  aboord  that  evening."  This 
was  the  first  death  and  must  liave  cast  a  gloom  over 
the   party.     The   next  day  he   was   buried  under  the 


Winter-Bound  on  Nova  Zembla      285 

shingle  in  the  cleft  of  a  rock,  because  they  could  not 
dig  a  grave  in  the  frozen  earth. 

On  the  25th  "we  raised  up  the  principles  of  our 
house  and  began  to  worke   hard  thereon." 

On  the  26th  they  had  the  cruel  experience  of  a  west 
wind  and  open  sea;  so  that  they  could  have  got  away, 
if  only  their  ship  had  been  free. 

"Tlie  27th  it  blew  hard  northeast,  and  it  froze  so  hard 
that  as  we  put  a  nayle  into  our  mouthes  (as  when  men 
worke  carpenters  worke  they  use  to  doe),  there  would 
ice  hange  thereon  when  we  tooke  it  out  againe,  and 
make  the  blood  follow."  On  this  day  and  on  the  next 
and  again  on  the  next,  there  were  visits  from  bears. 
But  in  every  case  the  animals  got  away  without  damage 
on  either  side.  On  the  28th  it  was  bright  and  calm, 
with  an  open  sea.  "  But  our  ship  lay  fast  in  the  ice 
and  stirred  not."  What  a  cruel  trial  to  tbe  poor  fellows 
dreading  the  bitter  winter  and  longing  for  their  homes ! 
They  bravely  pushed  the  work  on  the  house,  however, 
and  on  the  landing  of  the  stores,  though  it  was  "so 
extreame  cold  tliat  we  could  hardly  worke,  but  extrem- 
ity forced  us  thereunto."  On  the  30th  they  built  a  big 
iire  near  the  house,  that  they  might  thaw  the  ground, 
in  order  to  pile  earth  against  the  house  to  make  it 
warmer.  "  But  it  was  all  lost  labour,  for  the  earth  was 
so  hard  and  frozen  so  deep,  that  we  could  not  thaw  it, 
and  it  would  have  cost  us  too  much  wood." 

October  1  they  liad  a  snow-storm  with  such  a  furious 
gale  that  a  man  could  liardly  walk  against  it  or  even 
draw  his  breath.  On  the  2d  "we  set  up  our  house 
[completed   its   erection],    and   upon    it    we    placed  a 


,  ■  f'  s 


m 


K': 


■Mill  • 


iiili: 


■     S'! 


''H 
f;if  i: 


286 


The  World's  Discoverers 


ni;i3'-i)()le  iiuulo  of  frozen  snow  [as  one  might,  under 
other  circunistunces,  raise  a  flag]."  On  the  5tli  they 
l)r()ke  u[)  the  hnver  deek  of  the  forecasth;  and  with  the 
planks  made  a  sh)|)ing  roof,  that  the  water  might  run 
off.  The  8th  "it  blew  so  liard  and  snowed  so  fast  that 
we  sliouhl  have  smothered,  if  we  had  gone  out  into  tlie 
aire;  and  to  speak  truth,  it  liad  not  been  possible  for 
any  man  to  have  gone  our  ship's  length,  though  liis  life 
had  laine  thereon."  "The  10  of  October  as  one  of  (mr 
men  went  out,  he  chaunced  to  meet  a  beare,  and  was 
almost  at  [against]  him  before  he  knew  it,  but  pres- 
ently he  ranne  back  againe  towards  tlie  ship  and  the 
beare  after  him:  but  the  beare  comming  to  the  place 
where  before  that  we  killed  another  beare  and  set  her 
upright  and  there  let  her  freeze,  shee  stood  still,  wherel)y 
our  man  got  before  her  and  clome  up  into  the  ship  in 
great  fear,  crying,  a  beare,  a  beare;  wliich  we  hearing 
came  above  hatches  to  looke  on  her  and  to  shoote  at 
her,  but  we  could  not  see  her,  by  means  of  the  exceed- 
ing great  smoke  [their  eyes  being  inflamed]  that  had 
so  tormented  us  while  we  lay  under  hatches  in  the  foule 
wether.  The  beare  staicd  not  long  there,  but  ran 
away."  "The  11th  it  was  calme  wether,  the  wind 
bi'ing  south  and  somewhat  warme,  and  then  wee 
c;irryed  our  wine  and  other  victuals  on  land." 

On  the  12th  half  of  the  men  slept  in  the  house  for  the 
first  time.  Tiiey  suffered  greatly  from  cold,  because 
tlie  buidis  were  not  yet  made  and  they  had  not  clothing 
enough.  Besides,  they  could  not  keep  a  fire,  ])ecause 
the  chimney  was  not  yet  built,  "  whereby  it  smoaked 
exceedingly."     On  the  ISth  some  of  the  men  were  haul- 


Winter-Bound  on  Nova  Zembla       287 

ing  a  cask  of  beer  (the  Norwogiaii  ":i[)n)ss('ii-bior,"  from 
which  we  get  our  name."spruec-beer,"  which,  desi)ite 
its  name,  has  no  spruce  in  it),  when  they  were  assailed 
by  so  furious  a  wind  that  they  left  the  sled  where 
it  was  and  got  in  out  of  the  cold.  The  next  day 
they  found  the  cask  burst,  but  the  beer  that  had  run 
out  frozen  "as  hard  upon  the  side  of  the  barrel  as  if  it 
had  been  glewed  thereon."     They  broke  it  off  and  ate  it. 

By  the  18th  the  sea  was  covered  with  ice,  and  no 
open  water  could  be  seen.  On  the  IDth  another  bear 
visited  the  ship,  at  a  time  when  but  two  men  and  a  boy 
were  aboard.  After  vainly  trying  to  drive  her  away  by 
throwing  billets  of  wood  at  her,  the  men  jumped  into 
the  hold  and  the  boy  clindjcd  up  the  fore-rigging. 
"Meane  time  some  of  our  men  shot  at  her  with  a  mus- 
ket, and  then  she  ran  away."  What  marksmen  these 
worthy  Dutchmen  were  with  their  clumsy  muskets, 
which  were  held,  not  against,  but  over  the  shoulder,  so 
as  to  escape  the  terrible  "kick"  !  On  the  24th  the  rest 
of  the  men  came  to  the  house,  drawing  the  sick  man 
upon  a  sled.  "  Then  with  great  labour  and  paine  wee 
drew  our  boate  home  to  our  house  and  turned  the  bottom 
thereof  upwards,  that  when  time  served  us  (if  God  saved 
our  lives  in  the  winter-time)  wee  might  use  it:  for  wee 
alwaies  trusted  in  God  that  hee  would  deliver  us  from 
thence  towards  summer-time,  either  one  way  or  other." 
By  this  time  the  sun  was  very  low,  and  they  prudently 
hastened  their  preparations  against  the  cold  and  dark 
winter  that  was  at  hand. 

On  the  26th  there  was  another  prodigious  adventure. 
As  some  of  the  men  were  hauling  stores   out   of   the 


IS 


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The  World's  Discoverers 


i    ,    ,11: 


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i   '!if 


ship,  three  bears  ciiine  upon  them.  "  As  good  fortune 
was,  tliere  hiy  two  luilherds  upon  the  slead,  whereof  the 
master  tooke  one  and  1  the  other,  and  made  resistance 
a|L,rainst  them  as  well  as  we  could;  but  the  rest  of  our 
men  ran  to  save  themselves  in  the  ship.  One  of  these 
fell  into  a  crevice  in  the  ice,  which  greeved  us  much, 
for  wee  thought  verily  that  the  beares  would  have  run 
unto  him  to  devoure  him;  but  God  defended  him,  for 
the  l)i!ares  still  made  towards  the  shi[)  after  the  men 
that  ran  thither  to  save  themselves."  The  writer  and 
the  man  who  had  fallen  into  the  crevice,  having 
climbed  into  the  shi[)  on  the  otlier  side,  were  then 
attacked.  Having  no  wea[)on8  but  the  halberds,  they 
"gave  them  worke  to  doe"  by  throwing  billets  at  them; 
and  every  time  they  threw,  the  bears  ran  after  the 
missile,  "as  a  dog  useth  to  doe  at  a  stone  that  is  cast  at 
him."  "  Mean  time  we  sent  a  man  down  under  hatches, 
to  strike  fire,  and  another  to  fetch  pikes;  but  wee  could 
get  no  lire,  and  so  wee  had  no  meanes  to  shoote."  Their 
firearms  were  discharged  with  matches.  Until  the 
match  was  lighted,  they  were  useless.  At  last  the 
largest  of  the  bears  got  a  blow  on  the  snout  from  a  hal- 
berd ;  whereupon  it  turned  and  ran  away,  followed  by 
the  others. 

(October  27th  there  was  so  violent  a  snow-storm  that 
they  conld  not  work  out  of  doors.  Still  some  of  the 
men  killed  an  Arctic  fox,  which  they  roasted  and  ate. 
"  The  same  day  we  set  up  our  clock,  so  that  it  struck 
the  hour;  and  we  hung  up  a  lamp  to  burne  in  the  night 
time,  wherein  we  used  the  fat  of  the  beare,  which  we 
molt  and  burnt  in  the  lampe." 


Winter-Bound  on  Nova  ZembUi       289 

On  the  28tli  three  of  the  men  were  caught  in  ji  vi»»h'nt 
snow-storm  iind  narrowly  escaped  spending  the  niglit 
without  eover,  which  surely  would  have  been  death  to 
them.  November  2  the  sun  did  not  show  its  w^iole 
disk  above  the  horizon.  They  killed  and  ate  another 
fox.  They  remarked  that  these  animals  became  nu)re 
numerous  as  the  sun  sank  lower,  and  that  at  the  same 
time  the  bears  began  to  disai)pear.  On  the  8d  tliey  saw 
only  the  upper  edge  of  the  sun.  On  the  4th  they  saw 
him  no  more.  Nor  would  they  see  him  again  for  several 
months.  The  long  Arctic  night  had  begun.  The  sur- 
geon now  did  a  very  wise  thing,  in  making  a  vapor- 
bath  out  of  an  empty  hogshead  for  the  use  of  the  crew. 
We  see  it  represented  in  the  illustration.  This  was  un- 
doubtedly one  of  the  agencies  which  helped  greatly  to 
the  preserv.ition  of  the  men's  health.  Another  fox  was 
taken.  They  now  remarked  that  the  moon  was  visible 
day  and  niglit  for  seven  or  eight  days  at  a  time.  The 
7th  it  was  dark  and  still.  They  could  hardly  discern 
the  day  from  the  night,  especially  as  the  clock  had 
stopped,  and  they  did  not  know  whether  the  faint  light 
was  that  of  the  day  or  of  the  moon.  The  8th  another 
fox  was  taken.  The  l)read  was  distrilnited  so  that  each 
man  had  four  pounds  and  ten  ounces  for  his  share  for 
eight  days.  This  would  make  a  barrel  last  eight  days 
instead  of  five  or  six,  as  formerly  was  the  case.  They 
had  no  need,  however,  to  go  on  short  allowance  of  fish 
and  meat.  The  Itth  they  made  and  set  a  trap  for 
foxes  and  caught  one.  The  21st  they  agreed  that  every 
man  should  take  his  turn  at  cutting  wood,  to  relieve 

the  cook,  who  had  his  hands  full  with  cooking  twice  a 

19 


ill 


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The  World's  Discoverers 


li 


I;   -I  V. 


li.^in 


flay.  But  seventeen  cheeses  were  loft.  One  was 
divided  among  all,  and  the  rest  were  distrihuted  one  to 
each  man,  to  be  eaten  at  his  discretion.  Another  and 
larger  fox-trap  was  set,  which  caught  four  in  one  day. 

The  next  day  it  stormed  so  furiously  that  they  could 
not,  even  under  the  most  urgent  necessity,  go  out  of 
doors.  They  employed  themselves  in  making  more 
traps,  for  now  they  depended  wholly  on  foxes  for  fresh 
meat.  The  next  day  they  managed  to  shovel  away  the 
snow,  so  that  they  could  open  the  doors.  They  found 
the  traps  and  springes  com[)letely  snowed  under.  They 
cleared  and  set  them  again  and  that  day  took  one  fox. 
Six  of  the  men  visited  the  ship  to  see  how  she  lay,  and 
cauffht  a  fox  alive  in  the  hold.  December  1  the  wind 
was  from  such,  a  quarter  that  the  house  was  full  of 
smoke,  and  Wio  men  were  obliged  to  lie  all  the  day  in 
tiieir  bunks.  They  heated  stones  and  put  them  at  their 
feet,  for  the  cold  was  intolerable.  While  they  lay  shiv- 
ering in  their  bunks,  with  the  storm  raging  without,  and 
within  the  smoke  blinding  their  eyes  and  almost  stifling 
them,  they  could  hear  the  ice  crack  in  the  sea  a  half- 
mile  away,  with  "a  hugh  noyse."  All  those  three  days 
while  they  were  weather-bound,  they  depended  on  the 
sand-glass  (which  may  be  seen  in  the  illustration^, 
which  needed  to  be  turned  every  twelve  hours,  "stil 
watching  it  lest  we  should  misse  our  time ;  for  the  cold 
was  so  great  that  our  clock  was  frozen  and  might  not 
goe,  although  we  hung  more  waight  on  it  than  before." 

December  4  the  weather  was  clear,  .md  they  went  to 
work  in  regular  reliefs  to  clear  passages  from  the  doors, 
only  the  master  and  the  pilot  being  exempted.     The  6th 


Winter-Bound  on  Nova  Zemhla 


291 


there  was  an  easterly  wind  with  "extrciiuH!  cohl,  almost 
not  to  he  endnred."  It  is  pathetic  to  read,  '*  Wr  lookt 
l)ittiliilly  one  u[)on  the  other,  heing  in  j^rcat  feare,  that 
if  ye  extreniitio  of  the  cold  grew  to  he  nioi-e  and  more, 
we  should  all  die  there  with  the  cold,  for  that  what  lire 
soever  we  made,  it  would  not  warnie  us." 

On  the  7th  they  had  a  jjcrilous  experience  within 
doors.  On  account  of  the  excessive  cold,  soniehody 
pnjjKJsed  that  they  hurn  some  "sea-coles"  that  they  liiid 
brought  out  of  the  ship.  So  in  the  evening  they  made 
a  great  lire  of  it  and  sto{)ped  \\\)  all  the  doors  and  the 
ehinniey,  to  keep  the  heat  in.  I'hen  they  lay  in  tlu'ir 
hunks,  "  well  comforted  with  the  heat,  and  so  lay  a 
great  while  talking  together."  Suddenly  they  were 
seized  with  "a  great  swoiinding  and  daseling." 

The  strongest  started  up  to  let  in  some  fresh  air,  "but 
he  that  opened  the  door  fell  down  in  a  swound  upi)on 
the  snow;"  whereupon  the  writer  ran  quickly  and  got 
so'^.ie  vinegar  and  rubbed  his  face  with  it,  and  he  re- 
covered. "So  the  cold  was  the  onely  relief  that  we 
had;  otherwise  we  had  without  doubt  all  died  in  a 
sodaine  swound.  The  master,  when  we  were  come  to 
ourselves  againe,  gave  every  one  of  us  a  little  wine  to 
comfort  our  hearts."  By  the  IGth  all  the  wood  in  the 
house  had  been  burned,  and  they  were  under  the  neces- 
sity of  shoveling  away  the  snow  to  get  at  that  which 
was  covered  up.  In  this  work,  which  they  did  by  icliofs 
of  two  or  three,  they  could  not  remain  long  ex[)osed,  so 
great  was  the  cold,  though  they  wore  caps  of  fox-skin 
and  double  clothing.  The  18th  they  visited  the  ship, 
caught  another  fox  in  the  hold,  and  found  that  since 


ilfi 

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I'he  World's  Discoverers 


their  hist  visit  the  water  had  risen  ahout  a  linger  and  all 
was  frozen. 

Tlien!  is  a  toucli  of  pathos  a1)out  this:  "The  10  of 
Deeeniher  we  put  eaeli  other  in  gcjod  eond'ort,  that  the 
sun  was  then  ahiiost  halle  over  and  ready  to  come  to  ns 
againe,  wliich  we  sore  longed  for,  it  Ijeing  a  weary 
time  for  us  to  he  witliout  tiie  suime  and  to  want  the 
greatest  comfort  tiiat  (lod  sendeth  unto  man  here  \\\h)\i 
the  earth,  and  tliat  which  rejoiccth  every  living  thing." 
This  cheei'fui,  hoj)eful  s})irit  crmnted  for  much  in  en- 
ahling  tlie  poor  fellows  to  survive  tliat  fearful  winter. 
Tliey  made  the  hest  of  everything.  Hven  the  foxes' 
meat  "seemed  as  dainty  as  veinson  "  to  tliem.  When 
we  contrast  their  fearful  sufferings  from  cold  with  the 
comparative  comfort  and  well-beiug  in  which  recent 
explorers  have  lived  through  Polar  winters,  clad  in  their 
warm  furs  and  nonrished  with  a  wholesome  diet,  we 
realize  how  scant  was  their  clothing  and  how  inadequate 
was  their  outfit. 

Modern  Arctic  explorers  have  heen  wont  to  make 
much  of  festivals  and  to  serve  elaborate  Christmas 
dinners,  Init  for  these  poor  fellows  there  was  no  holiday 
cheer.  "  The  2r)th  of  December,  being  Christmas  Day, 
it  Wits  foule  wether  with  a  north.- west  wind."  They  lay 
in  their  bunks,  unable  to  warm  themselves,  though 
they  used  all  the  resources  they  had,  "great  fires,  good 
store  of  clothes,  and  hot  stones  and  billets  laid  upon 
oTir  feete  and  upon  our  bodies."  Though  the}'  awoke 
to  find  their  "cabins  were  frozen  white,"  "yet,"  sa^s 
the  writer,  "we  comforted  ourselves  againe  as  well  as 
we  could,  that  the  sunne  was  then  as  low  as  it  could 


Wintcr-Bomul  on  Nova  '/einhla       293 

p(n',  iiiiil  that  it  now  Ix'^'iiii  t<»  ('(imc  to  us  iij,Miii»',  aiid  \V(! 
l'(»iiii(i  it  to  In!  ti'iic;  lor  that  the  (laics  licgimiiiig  to 
leiiL^thcii  the  cohl  i»('<4aii  to  stit'iii^tlicii,  hut  hope  put  us 
in  i^ood  iMiinl'ort  and  i-ascd  our  puiuc." 

Thu  'JDth  was  tho  third  day  of  so  excessive  cohl,  that 
they  had  not  Icl't  (he  house,  "nor  durst  tluMist  our 
heads  out  of  doorcs;  and  witliin  the  house  it  was  so 
extreme  et)ld,  that  as  we  sate  heior(!  a  great  lire  and 
seemed  to  burne  our  shins  on  tlu;  lore  side,  we  fi'o/.c 
behinde  at  our  backs  and  were  al  while,  as  the  counti-y- 
men  used  to  be  when  they  I'onic  in  at  the  gates  of  the 
towiK!  in  Holland  with  their  sleads."  On  the  -Sth  one 
juan  crept  out  through  a  hole,  but  he  ([uickly  returned, 
reporting  that  the  snow  lay  higher  than  the  house,  and 
that  ''if  he  had  stayed  out  longer,  his  eares  would  un- 
doubtedly have  })een  frozen  off."  The  l^Oth  was  calm. 
They  opened  a  door  and  shoveled  steps,  by  which  they 
"went  up  out  of  the  house,  as  if  it  had  bin  out  of  a 
seller."  Digging  out  and  clearing  the  springes,  they 
found  in  one  a  dead  fox,  frozen  as  hard  as  a  stone,  which 
some  of  the  men  thawed  and  ate.  The  old  year  closes 
with  this  dismal  entry:  "The  31  of  I)ecend)er  we  were 
so  fast  shut  up  into  the  house  as  if  we  had  beene  ])ris- 
oners,  and  it  was  so  extreame  cold  that  the  fire  almost 
caste  no  heate;  for  as  we  put  our  feete  to  the  fire,  we 
burnt  our  hose  before  we  could  feele  the  heate,  and  if 
we  had  not  sooner  smelt  than  felt  them,  we  should  have 
burnt  them  quite  away  ere  we  had  knowne  it." 

The  new  year  began  gloomily  enough.  'I'lie  record 
runs:  "Anno  1597.  After  that,  with  givat  cold,  we 
had  brought  the  yeare  unto  an  end,  v/e  entred  into  ye 


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294 


The  World's  Discoverers 


yuiire  of  our  Lord  God  1597,  ye  bogiuiiing  whereof  was 
ill  ye  siiinc  luiiiier  tis  ye  end  t)f  Anno  loiKJ  Imd  been. 
At  the  same  time  we  agreed  to  share  our  wine  every 
mail  a  small  measure  full,  and  that  but  once  in  two 
daies,  that  if  we  should  stay  long  there,  we  might  drink 
it  at  our  neede  [should  have  some  left  for  cases  of 
emergency]." 

The  storms  and  fearful  cold  continued  day  after  day. 
If  they  "thrust  a  halfe  pike  out  at  ye  chinniey  with  a 
clothe  or  fether  upon  it,"  to  see  which  way  the  wind 
blew,  "as  soone  as  we  thrust  it  out,  it  was  presently 
frozen  as  hard  as  a  peece  of  wood." 

January  5  tUv;  wxnither  was  better.  They  seized  the 
opportunity  to  clean  the  house,  to  fetch  in  wood,  and  to 
make  pre[)arations  against  another  siege.  After  work- 
ing hard  all  the  day,  "we  remembered  oui'selves  that  it 
was  Twelfth  Night  [the  feast  of  the  Epiphany],  and 
tiicn  we  pi'ayed  our  maister  that  we  might  be  merry 
that  niglit,  ami  said  that  we  were  content  to  spend  some 
Oi  the  wine  tliat  night  which  we  had  spared,  whereof 
for  certain  dales  we  had  not  drunke;  and  so  that  nicfht 
we  Uiade  merry  and  drew  for  King.  And  therewith  we 
had  two  pounds  of  meale,  whereof  we  made  pancakes 
with  oyle,  and  to  every  man  a  white  bisket,  which  we 
so[)t  in  the  wine.  And  S')  su])posing  that  we  were 
[fancying  ourselves  to  be]  in  our  owno  country  and 
amongst  our  freiuls,  it  comforted  us  as  well  as  if  we 
had  made  a  great  banket  in  our  own  house.  And  we 
also  made  tickets  [ballots,  and  voted],  and  our  gun- 
ner was  King  of  Nov^',  Zembla,  which  is  at  least  800. 
miles    long."      Brave    fellows!       It   needed    pluck   to 


Winter-Bound  on  Nova  Zembla       295 


i| 


make  nieriy  and  phiy  j^anu's,  wlieii  I'old  and  durlmcss, 
winter  and  I'aniino  and  death,  shut  them  in.  A  few 
days  later  the  writer  says  phiyruily,  with  referenie  to 
their  going  out  in  more  moderate  weather,  "it  was  no 
need  to  bid  us  goe  home  againe,  for  in  the  aire  it 
was  not  smoking  hot."  They  visited  the  ship,  saw 
several  bear-iraeks  there,  and  noted  that  the  water  had 
risen  a  foot  in  the  hold.  Tiiey  took  the  height  of  a  star, 
made  certain  calculations,  and  reached  a  result  conlirm- 
ing  former  calculations  that  they  were  in  the  7Cth  degree 
of  latitude. 

The  15Ji  they  visited  the  ship,  and  found  that  bears 
had  torn  and  tossed  things  about.  The  next  day  their 
hearts  leaped  with  joy,  because  "about  noone  time  we 
saw  a  certain  rednes  in  the  skie,  as  a  shew  01  messenger 
of  the  sunne  that  began  to  come  towards  us."  The 
next  day  it  thawed  a  little  in  the  house.  Their  wood 
began  to  run  low.  They  wisely  determined  to  burn  it 
more  sparingly,  and  to  save  their  coal  for  consum})tion 
on  their  return  voyage  in  open  boats,  for  it  sccms  to 
have  grown  clear  to  them  that  the  ship  never  would  be 
got  out.  The  bread,  too,  began  to  grow  scant,  and 
tiio  writer  tells  us  quite  frankly  that  some  of  the 
men  went  to  a  reserve  of  a  half-barrel  in  the  ship 
and  "secretly  each  of  tlu  .n  tooke  a  bisket  or  two  out 
of  it."  It  is  the  only  instance  that  we  have  encountered 
of  such  scKish  conduct,  though  the  pinch  of  hunger 
often  paralyzes  conscience.  Now  the  catch  of  foxes 
began  to  fail,  from  which  they  inferred  thai  they 
would  soon  begin  to  see  bears  again,  and,  in  spite  of 
all  discouragements,  "gave  (bid  thaidvcs  that  the  liardest 


m 


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296 


The  World's  Discoverers 


time  of  the  winter  wis  piist,  ])eiiig  in  good  hope  that 
we  shunkl  live  to  talke  of  those  things  at  hoiiic  in  our 
own  country." 

January  26th  there  was  a  mournful  oecuiTence  in  tlie 
little  company:  "The  sicke  man  that  was  amongst  us 
was  very  weake  and  felt  himself  to  be  extreame  sick, 
for  he  had  long  laine  ill,  and  we  comforted  him  as  well 
as  we  might  and  spoke  kindly  to  him :  but  he  died  not 
long  after  niidnight."  The  next  day  they  dug  a  grave 
in  the  snow  seven  feet  deep,  working  each  a  little,  for 
it  was  so  cold  that  no  one  could  remain  long  in  the  air, 
and  there  they  laid  their  dead  comrade,  after  a  sort  of 
funeral  discourse,  with  prayeis  and  the  singing  of 
psalms.  Then  they  ate  the  funeral  meal.  This  was  a 
characteristic  Dutch  custom.  They  would  scarcelj'- 
have  thought  themselves  to  show  decent  respect  to  the 
dead,  if  they  had  omitted  it.  The  same  day,  when  their 
hearts  must  have  been  heavy  indeed,  they  were  cheered 
by  seeing  "the  sunne  in  his  full  roundnesse  a  little  above 
the  horrison;  wliich  made  us  all  glad,  and  we  gave  CJod 
hearty  thankes  for  his  grace  showed  unto  us,  that  that 
glorious  light  appeared  unto  us  againe."  The  sun  was 
visible,  however,  only  by  refraction,  being  still  below 
the  horizon. 

The  weather  was  now  clear,  and  they  went  out  many 
times  to  take  exercise  in  walking,  running,  and  phi  ing 
ball,  which  made  their  joints  more  supple;  for,  owing 
to  the  life  that  they  had  led  for  several  months,  their 
limbs  were  stiff,  and  several  suffered  from  scurvy.  The 
weather  changed  again.  Once  more  they  were  shut  in. 
"  We   tooke  not  now  so  much  paines  to  dig  open  tlu' 


I 


Winter-Bound  on  Nova  Zembla       297 


I 


doore,  but  wlicn  wo  hud  occusion  to  goo  out  we  clonie 
out  at  the  chiiniiey." 

Fo])i'uary  0  the  sun  was  again  above  the  liori/.on.  The 
12th  "there  came  a  great  beare  towards  our  house, 
wliich  made  us  all  goe  in,  and  we  leveled  at  her  with 


"HOW   WE  SHOT  A   BKAit,   WHKRKKROM   V,  K   OOT   A   GOOD   MUNDKKI) 
POUNDS     WKIGHT  OF  GKKASF  " 


„* 


li< 


! 


o-.!i"  muskets,  o.nd  as  slio  came  right  ])ofore  our  doi'o  we 
s)i>^  her  into  the  breast  clean  througli  the  lioart,  tlio 
bullet  passing  through  her  body  and  went  out  againe  at 
the  taylc,  and  was  as  flat  as  a  counter.  The  beare  feel- 
ing the  blow,  lept  backwards  and  ran  twenty  or  thirty 
foote  from  the  house,  and  there  lay  downe,  wherewith 
we  lept  up  all  out  of  the  house  and  ran   to   her  and 


( 


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found  lier  still  alive,  and  when  she  saw  us  she  reared 
u[)  her  liead,  as  if  she  wished  to  see  who  had  done  it  to 
her;  hut  we  trusted  her  not,  for  that  we  had  tryed  her 
strength  sul'lieently  hefore,  and  therefore  we  shot  her 
twice  into  the  body  againe,  and  therewitli  she  dyed." 
Out  of  her  body  they  took  at  least  a  hundred  pounds  of 
fat,  which  proved  very  useful;  for  it  enabled  them  to 
keep  a  lamp  burning  all  night  long,  and  thus  they  could 
pass  the  long  hours  in  reading  and  other  diversions, 
which  before  had  been  impossible. 

The  16th  ,  i  *-'Vvove  Tuesday  (the  last  day  before 
the  Lenten  fasi  'Tlien  wee  made  ourselves  some- 
what merry  in  our  great  griefe  and  trouble,  and  every 
one  of  us  dranke  a  draught  of  wine  in  remembrance 
that  winter  began  to  weare  away  and  faire  weather  to 
a[)proache." 

The  21st  they  burned  the  last  of  their  wood  and  were 
put  to  such  straits  that  they  tore  off  some  pieces  from 
the  house,  to  keep  the  lire  going.  The  next  day  was 
clear  and  cold.  They  organized  a  party  of  eleven,  all 
well  arnied,  to  haul  wood  in  a  sled  from  the  place  where 
tlicy  had  obtained  their  winter's  sui)ply.  When  they 
came  to  the  spot,  they  found  the  wood  so  deeply  cov- 
ered Avith  snow  that  they  could  not  reach  it;  but  by 
going  further,  with  great  labor  and  trouble  they  got 
some.  When  they  came  to  haul  it  home,  however,  they 
found  themselves  so  weak,  owing  to  tlie  privations  and 
sutTerings  they  had  endured,  that  it  seemed  as  if  they 
could  not  do  it,  but  must  die  of  cold.  They  perse- 
vered, however,  and  at  last  succeeded.  The  next  day 
they   caught  two  foxes,   '^  that   were  as  good  to  us  as 


m 


Winter-Bound  on  Nova  Zembla       299 

venis(jn."  They  exercised  out-doors.  Tlie  -Stli  ten 
men  went  and  drew  lionic  unotlier  slcd-lrad  of  wood. 
One  man  could  not  lieli*,  because  he  had  a  joint  of  one 
of  his  great  toes  frozen  off. 

The  remainder  of  the  winter  passed  in  mucli  tlie 
same  way.  There  Avere  alternations  of  clear,  cokl 
weather  with  furious  storms.  The  strength  of  tlie  poor 
fellows  was  slowly  failing,  througli  their  privations  and 
meagre  fare.  But  their  courage  and  good  spirits  never 
foi-sook  them.  Whenever  it  was  possible,  they  took 
exercise  by  running  and  playing  "colfe"'  on  the  ice. 
With  the  appearance  of  spring,  bears  again  became  very 
troublesome  and  bold.  Hut  now  tliey  liad  the  sun 
always  in  the  sk}-,  and,  weak  as  they  were,  so  tliat  they 
could  hardly  work,  the}'  were  getting  the  boats  ivady 
and  making  other  preparations  for  their  perih)us  voyage 
in  them,  since  it  was  plain  that  the  ship  never  could 
be  got  out. 


% 


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It 


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The  World's  Discoverers 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

IN  OPEN  BOATS  FROM  NOVA  ZEMBLA  TO  LAPLAND 

June  1,  the  day  on  wliieh  the  preparations  for  the 
lionieward  voyage  were  t(5  begin  in  good  earnest,  was 
bright  and  beautiful.  But  so  many  were  sick  from 
having  eaten  of  a  bear's  liver,  that  not  much  could  be 
done  on  that  day.  But  by  the  night  of  the  13th  all 
things  were  in  readiness.  The  boats  had  been  repaired, 
strengthened,  and  built  up  at  the  sides,  so  as  to  fit  them 
for  heavy  seas.  They  had  been  stocked  with  such  pro- 
visions as  remained,  and  a  small  portion  of  the  most 
valuable  goods  from  the  cargo  had  been  put  on  board. 
Oars,  sails,  and  other  things  had  been  got  ready.  '  lie 
boats  h^.d  been  previously  hauled  to  the  water-si .le, 
where  they  were  loaded.  There  was  a  vast  amount  of 
hanl  work  in  all  this ;  but  tliey  found  that  they  were 
equal  to  it,  "for  that  good  will  on  the  one  side  and 
hope  on  the  other  side  encreased  our  strength.  Al  the 
labour  and  paines  that  we  tooke  seemed  light  and  easie 
unto  us,  because  of  the  hope  that  we  had  to  get  out  of 
that  wild,  desart,  irkesome,  fearefull,  and  cold  country." 

The  9th,  like  good,  cleanly  Dutchmen,  they  had  a 
grand  wash-day,  that  they  might  start  with  clean 
clothes.  The  11th  was  so  stormy,  and  the  wind  blew  so 
hard  that  they  were  in  great  dread  lest  the  ice  should 
be  swept  away,  with   the  ship,  boats,  provisions,  and 


From  Nova  Zemhla  to  Lapland       301 

everything.  The  12th  "there  ciune  a  great  leane  beare 
out  of  the  sea  upon  the  iee  toward  us,  which  we  jntlgcJ 
to  eonie  out  of  Tartaria  [to  liave  come  on  drifting  ice 
from  Siberia],  for  we  had  before  scene  of  them  eiglity 
or  more  miles  within  the  sea  [at  sea]."  No  donbt  its 
lean  ai)pcarance  suggested  its  having  come  a  long  dis- 
tance. After  something  of  the  usual  excitement,  it  was 
killed. 

Everything  being  ready  for  departure,  "William 
Barents  wrote  a  letter  and  placed  it  in  a  powder-horn 
and  hanged  it  up  in  the  cliinuiey,  shewing  how  we 
came  out  of  Holland  to  saile  to  the  kingdome  of  China, 
and  what  had  happened  to  us  being  theie  on  land,  with 
all  our  crosses  [adversities],  that  if  any  man  chanced 
to  come  thither,  they  might  know  what  had  happened 
unto  us."  As  we  shall  see  later,  the  spot  made  sacred 
by  the  fortitude  of  these  pioneers  has  actually  been 
visited  within  recent  years,  and  relics  of  their  ten 
months'  dreary  a])ode  have  been  brought  home  to 
Europe.  In  view  of  the  perilous  voyage  before  them, 
the  captain  prepared  a  statement  setting  forth  the  ex- 
perience of  the  party  in  being  caught  in  the  ice  and  .le- 
tained  so  many  months,  and  their  pui'pose  to  sail  away 
in  open  bo.ats,  committing  themselves  into  the  hant^s  of 
God.  This  document  they  all  signed  in  duplicate,  and 
a  copy  was  placed  in  each  l)oat,  so  that,  in  care  of 
disaster  to  either  or  both,  some  record  of  them  might 
perhaps  come  to  the  hands  of  their  friends.  "  And  so, 
committing  ourselves  to  the  will  and  mercie  of  God, 
with  a  west  north-west  Avind  and  an  endifferent  open 
water,  on  the  14th  of  June  in  the  morning  we  set  saile 


u 
% 

■T 

'^ 


i'i' 


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r^i 


302 


The  World's  Discoverers 


from  tlio  land  of  Nova  Zeinblii  iiiul  the  fast  ice  thereto 
adjoyniiig,  and  i)iit  to  sea."  They  headed  eastward, 
to  round  the  extremity  of  the  island,  returning  by  the 
same  route  as  that  by  which  they  had  come. 

They  had  not  gone  very  far  before  they  were  fast  in 
an  ice-floe.  While  working  to  get  out,  "foure  of  us 
went  on  land,  and  there  we  tooke  four  Ijirds,  wiiich  we 
kild  with  stones  upon  the  cliftes."  These  probably  were 
awkward  and  stupid  guillemots.  On  the  10th  they 
reached  the  Orange  Islands,  at  the  extremity  of  Nova 
Zembla.  There  they  hiiided,  both  to  replenish  their 
water  supply  with  melted  snow  and  to  seek  for  ])irds 
and  eggs  for  their  sick.  They  found  none  on  the  island 
where  they  were,  but  some  of  tlie  men  ci'ossed  on  the 
ice  to  another  and  got  three  birds.  This  tender  care  for 
the  sick  is  one  of  the  admirable  traits  which  we  notice 
in  the  heroes  of  our  story,  and  was  a  natural  expression 
of  the  spirit  of  mutual  helpfulness  which  was  the  main 
secret  of  their  hai)py  issue  out  of  all  tlieir  difliculties. 
The  effort  to  provide  fresh  food  for  the  sick  came  near 
to  costing  a  life.  The  captain  broke  through  the  ice, 
which  was  worn  thin  by  a  strong  current  running  be- 
neath it,  and  was  in  great  danger.  "But  by  Gods  helpe 
he  got  out  againe  "  and  dried  himself  by  the  fire,  while 
the  birds  were  being  dressed  and  cooked. 

"  When  we  put  to  sea  againe,  it  was  drowsie  miseling 
weather,  whereby  we  were  al  dankish  and  wet,  for  we 
had  no  shelter  in  our  open  scutes."  At  the  next  stop 
the  captain  "called  to  William  Barents  to  know  how 
he  did,  and  William  Barents  made  answeare  and  said, 
Quite  well,  mate.     I  still  hope  to  be  able  to  run  before 


From  Nova  Zembla  to  Lapland       303 

we  get  to  Wardhuus  "  (a  well  known  point  on  the  Liii)- 
liind  coast,  not  far  from  North  Cape).  "Then  he  spake 
to  me  and  said,  (Jerrit,  are  we  about  the  lee  Point 
[the  northernmost  point  of  Nova  Zembla]?  If  we  be, 
then  I  pray  you  lift  me  up,  for  I  must  view  it  once 
againc." 

Now  the  weather  grew  still  worse,  and  they  were 
obliged  to  stay  there,  shut  in  by  the  ice. 

Then  some  one  said  that  if  they  could  make  fast  a 
tackle  or  rope  to  the  firm  ice,  they  might  draw  the  boat 
out  of  the  drifting  ice.  It  was  a  perik)us  thing  to  un- 
dertake. On  the  other  hand,  if  it  were  not  done,  most 
likely  the  boat  would  be  crushed,  and  all  would  perish. 
In  this  dilemma  our  friend  Gerrit  de  Veer,  modestly 
esteeming  his  life  the  least  valuable  of  any,  and  being 
l»esides  the  lightest  man  in  the  party,  undertook  to  cai'ry 
a  rope  out.  This  he  successfully  accomi)lishe(l,  by 
o'eeping  from  one  piece  of  drifting  ice  to  another,  until 
he  was  able  to  make  the  rope  fast  to  a  high  ice-block. 
Then  they  hauled  up  to  ihe  firm  ice,  quickly  got  the 
sick  men  out  and  made  them  comfortable,  unloaded  the 
boats  and  drew  them  up,  "making  account  that  we  had 
escaped  out  of  the  jaws  of  d?atli."  The  next  day  tlicy 
repaired  the  boats,  which  had  been  much  straincM^i,  and 
went  on  land  to  look  for  eggs  for  the  sick.  The;  found 
none,  but  got  four  birds.  The  next  day  they  were  still 
shut  in  and  saw  no  opening,  "  which  made  us  thinke 
that  there  would  be  our  last  aboade." 

The  next  day  Claes  ^Vdrianson  was  very  low.  When 
this  was  mentioned  in  the  presence  of  William  liarentz, 
he  quietly  remarked  that  he,  too,  was  probably  near  his 


n 


;ti 


304 


The  World's  Discoverers 


Fl       I 


jounuiy's  end.  '^Flu!  others  did  not  believe  it,  for  tliey 
did  not  know  how  siek  lie  wiis.  Then  he  sjx-nt  some 
time  in  looking  at  De  Veer's  chart  of  the  voyage. 
Shortly  afterwards  he  ealled  for  a  drink  of  water  and 
almost  innnediately  died.  So  [)assed  away  this  brave 
sonl,  who  had  im^jressed  himself  on  his  generation  by 
his  skill  and  eonrage,  leaving  a  name  that  is  still  hon- 
ored after  three  hnndred  years.  I)e  Veer  says  patheti- 
cally, "The  death  of  William  IJarents  put  us  in  no  small 
discomfort,  as  being  the  ehiefe  guide  and  onely  pilot 
on  whom  we  reposed  ourselves  next  under  God." 

It  was  not  until  the  second  day  that  they  were  able 
to  get  a  start  from  that  place,  and  then  only  by  drag- 
ging the  boats  a  considerable  distance  over  the  ice. 
"And  being  gotten  unto  the  open  water,  we  comn.itted 
ourselves  to  God  and  set  saile."  IJut  scarce!}^  hi.;l  they 
got  under  way  when  they  were  again  bi'set  and  forced 
to  come  to  a  stop.  The  sun  was  shining  brightly,  yet 
with  so  little  power  that  the  snow  thawed  very  little, 
and  they  actually  suffered  from  lack  of  water,  having 
no  fire  wherewith  to  melt  snow. 

So  matters  went.  Now  they  made  some  headway; 
now  they  were  hemmed  in  by  the  ice.  June  24th  they 
were  at  Cape  Nassau.  Some  of  the  men  went  ashore 
and  found  neither  birds  nor  eggs,  but  got  some  drift- 
wood, which  they  brought  to  the  boats.  With  this  a 
fire  was  made  and  a  sort  of  biscuit-porridge  was  cooked. 
It  was  no  wonder  that  they  craved  something  warm  to 
eat.  June  26th  they  were  bowling  along  merrily  before 
a  stiff  breeze,  when  their  foremast  broke.  This  com- 
pelled them  to   hoist  the   mainsail.     But  this  was   so 


i«? 


From  Nova  Zembla  to  Lapland       305 

much  too  lurge  for  the  strong  w  iiul,  that  thuy  were  in 
iiiiniediiitu  (hiiigcr  of  ciipsiziiig.  "JUit  (ioil,  tluit  hiul 
(lolivoreti  us  out  of  so  inuny  diuigors  of  death,  liolpo  us 
oiicu  againe,  and  so  witli  great  danger  we  got  to  the 
fast  ice  againe." 

Tlius  they  worked  their  way  gradually  down  tlie  coast 
of  Nova  Zend)la,  enduring  great  hardships  with  admi- 
rable patience  and  good  tem})cr,  the  boats  sometimes 
sei)arated  in  fog  and  mist,  and  finding  each  other  by 
liring  guns.  One  day  they  saw  a  great  herd  of  walrus 
on  the  ice.  The  same  day  they  found  l)irds  so  numerous 
that  two  muskets  lired  among  them  killed  twelve.  On 
the  28th  they  had  hauled  up  on  tlie  ice  to  escape  being 
nil)ped,  and,  having  made  tents  of  sails  over  the  boats, 
were  resting,  when  the  man  on  watch  saw  three  bears 
approaching,  and  gave  the  alarm.  The  animals  came 
on  until  they  were  greeted  with  the  fire  of  several  mus- 
kets. Hut  as  these  w^ere  loaded  with  bird-shot,  there 
was  not  much  harm  done.  The  bears  turned,  Ixowever, 
and  ran  away,  which  gave  an  opportunity  for  re-load- 
ing with  ball.  Later  one  of  them  was  killed.  The 
other  two  continued  to  prowl  around  for  two  or  three 
days. 

July  1  they  had  an  anxious  time.     The  ice  on  which 

they  were  l)roke  up,  and  great  cakes  came  driven  with 

great  force  by  wind  and  current,  dashing  together  and 

piling  up.     They  made  all  haste  to  drag  the  boats  as 

far  from  the  edge  as  [)()ssible,  and  came  near  not  onl^  to 

losing  one,  but  their  own  lives  as  well.     It  was  a  narrow 

escape,  and  they  were  glad  to  come  out  alive,  with  the 

loss  of  some  of  their  provisions  and  of  all  the  merchan- 

20 


■  I 


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he;  ■ 

in  ^  ■ 


1^^: 


■l.t 


I'J 


'■1-'\' 


■I'i''  !• 


i^iJ: 


306 


The  WdfIiI's  Discoverers 


tlisi!.  Tlio  next  day  some  of  the  men,  in  scarcliiii^  for 
fuel  for  a  fire,  in  order  that  they  lui^dit  melt  pitch  and 
mend  the  hoats,  came  upon  wood  that  had  been  s[)lit 
and  the  wedges  that  liad  l)een  used.  Tliey  hastened 
back  to  the  boats  with  th(!  tidings  that  men  had  been 
there  before  them.  While  they  calked  the  boats,  a 
bear  stole  upon  the  man  who  was  watching  the  gofxis 
and  would  have  caught  him  unawares,  had  not  some- 
body called  to  him  from  the  boats  to  look  out.  There- 
upon he  ran  away. 

One  day  they  killed  thirteen  birds,  which  they  then 
picked  up  by  floating  after  them  on  a  piece  of  drift-ice, 
the  boats  Ijeing  still  drawn  up,  awaiting  suitable  weather 
for  traveling.  The  "foules"  gave  them  "a  princely 
meale-tide."  No  doubt  they  were  fishy;  but  canvas- 
backs  could  not  have  been  more  welcome. 

On  the  10th  of  July  they  got  away,  after  being 
weather-bound  six  days,  but  were  scarcely  well  started 
when  they  got  into  a  perilous  situation  between  two 
ice-tk'lds  and  were  again  compelled  to  uidoad  the  boats. 
To  drag  these  heavy  craft  over  the  ice  to  open  water 
was  no  light  task. 

Launched  once  more,  they  were  soon  again  in  danger 
between  two  ice-fields  that  came  drifting  one  against 
the  other.  Thus  continually  baflled  and  beset,  the 
writer  has  our  sympathy  when  he  says,  "our  courages 
were  cooled  to  see  ourselves  so  often  inclosed  in  ye 
ice,  being  in  great  feare  yt  by  meanes  of  the  long 
and  continuall  paines  we  should  loose  all  our  strength 
and  not  long  be  able  to  hold  out."  They  did  hold 
out,  however,  and  slowly  fought  their  way  southward, 


From  Nova  /cinhla  to  Laplaiul       307 

hiittlijii^  with  wind  uiid  ice,  inwiiii,'  wlicii  llicy  could 
iioL  Siiil,  uiid  piitioiitly  lyiiij^'  hy  wIriii  tlu-y  lould  not 
do  oitlicr. 

"The  lltli  of  July  us  we  sato  fast  ujioii  tin;  ice,  tliiTc 
canio  a  great  beare  out  of  the  water  luniiino'  towards  us, 
but  we  wateht  for  her  with  thi-ee  iiuiskets,  and  when 
slio  came  within  thirty  i)aees  of  us  we  shot  all  the  three 
muskets  at  her  and  killed  her  outri<j;hl,  so  that  she 
stirred  notafoote;  arid  \\r.  might  see  the  fat  run  out 
at  the  holes  of  her  skinne,  that  was  shot  in  with  the 
muskets,  swimme  upon  the  water  like  oyle."  I  hey 
"drew  her  up  on  the  ice  and  smit  oiit  her  teeth."  These 
seem  to  have  been  all  that  they  cared  to  preserve  of  the 
bears  that  they  killed.  Since  their  woful  exi)erience  of 
being  made  sick  by  eating  a  liver,  th 'y  do  not  seem  to 
have  cooked  any  portion  of  the  ilesh,  though  Arctic  ex- 
plorers have  generally  found  a  very  heli)ful  food  supply 
in  l)ear's  meat.  I>ut  our  fiiends  were  probably  at  that 
time  somewhat  dainty  about  their  eating,  having  an  un- 
expected su})ply  of  very  delicate  food.  Some  of  the  men 
had  landed  on  an  island  and  walked  about  on  it.  They 
saw  no  sign  of  any  one's  having  been  there  since  their 
visit,  in  the  previous  year,  Ijut  they  got  seventy  shel- 
drake's eggs.  When  they  had  them  t\wy  knew  not 
wherein  to  carry  them.  At  last  one  of  them  "put  off  his 
brcieehes,  and  tying  them  fast  l)eIow,  they  carried  them 
between  two  of  them,  and  the  third  bare  the  nuisket." 
So  they  returned,  after  a  twelve  hours'  absence  which 
had  caused  serious  alarm.  "  With  thc^  eggs  that  they  had 
brought  we  were  al  wel  comforted  and  felt  like  lords. 
Thus  we  had  a  little  holiday  in  the  midst  of  our  pains.'' 


'ft 

!  5 

■Hi 


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The  World's  Discoverers 


m  f ; 


It 


The  IGtli  a  bear  came  upon  them  from  tlie  mainland, 
so  snowy-wliite  that  tlioy  did  not  see  it  until  it  was  (piite 
near.  They  lired  and  hit  it,  hut  it  escapetl.  The  next 
day,  some  oi'  tla^  men  going  to  a  near-by  ishmd  to  look 
from  the  liigii  land  for  open  water,  encountered  the 
wounded  animal.  It  hobbled  away,  but  one  of  the 
men  pursued  it  and  thrust  a  l)oat-hook  into  its  body, 
whereupon  it  rose  ou  its  ^'ind  feet  and  l?roke  the  hook 
with  a  blow  of  its  paw,  which  at  the  same  time  sent 
the  man  spi'awling  on  his  back.  Others  coming  up 
des])atclK'(l  the  bear  with  their  muskets. 

So  the  days  went  by,  as  they  slowly  made  their  way 
southward.  July  19  some  of  the  men  brought  in  a  hun- 
dred eggs,  together  with  the  joyful  news  that  there  was 
j)ler.ty  of  open  water  to  b?  seen.  The  eggs  were  si)eed- 
ily  cooked  and  divided.  Then  they  hauled  the  boats 
over  the  ice,  and  "with  Gods  merciful  helpe  put  to 
sea."  Now  they  were  clear  of  ice,  ami  they  sailed, 
according  to  their  estimai  s  on  an  average  seventy-two 
miles  in  every  twenty-four  hours. 

One  day  they  had  an  ex[)erience  which  is  thus 
quaintly  told:  "We  sav/  about  two  hundred  sea  horses 
[walrus]  lying  upon  a  peake  of  ice,  and  we  sayled 
close  by  them  and  drave  them  from  thence,  which  had 
almost  cost  i<s  deere ;  for  they,  l)eing  mighty  strong 
fishes,  swam  towards  us  (as  if  they  would  be  revenged 
on  us  for  the  dis])ight  that  we  had  don  them)  round 
about  our  boats  with  a  great  noyse,  as  if  they  would 
have  devoured  us;  but  we  escaped  from  thein  by  reason 
that  ve  had  a  good  gale  of  wind,  yet  it  was  not  wisely 
done  of  us  to  wake  sleeping  wolves."     The   curiosity 


':'' 1 


From  Nova  Zembla  to  Lapland       309 

and  fearlossiu'ss  of  these  iiuiniuls  liuvo  ol'tiMi  imporilcd 
the  siilViy  of  [)iirtit's  in  hoats. 

One  (lay  they  caiiu'  to  a  cliff  <iiat  was  alive  with  b"  ils 
lliey   killed    twenty-two   v<un   stones    and  got   iifteen 
eggs.     These  were  "foolish  guillemots,"  of  which  they 
could   have  got  hundreds  if  they  had  had  more  time. 


■  niil 


•TRUE   I'OKTRAITURE   OK   OUR   BOATS" 


>d 


Sometimes  they  took  them  all .  e  as  they  sat,  each  on  its 


one  egg. 


July  28  the}-  saw  a  number  of  men  on  the  land. 
Those  who  were  well  enough  went  asho  ■ ,  not  without 
trepidation,  since  they  did  not  know  ihe  disposition  of 
the  strangers.  What  were  their  surj)rise  and  delight, 
when  they  recognized  Russians  whom  they  had  met  on 
the    i)revious    expedition!      "We    perceived    that    they 


r  ■■ 


k 

hi 


li 


310 


The  World's  Discoverers 


h.-.  • 


fi:S 


wore  abaslit  Jind  vvoiulcred  at  us,  to  rcmenibor  that  at 
that  time  wo  were  so  well  furnished  with  a  S[)loudid 
great  shi|t,  that  was  exceedingly  provided  of  all  things 
necessary,  and  then  to  see  us  so  leane  and  hare  and  with 
so  small  open  boats."  Two  of  them  in  a  friendly  fashion 
clapped  the  captain  and  De  Veer  on  the  shoulder  and 
said,  ""Crahle  pro  pal,  which  we  understood  to  he,  Have 
you  lost  your  ship?  and  we  made  answere,  Crable  pro 
l»al,  which  was  as  much  as  to  say,  that  we  had  lost  our 
shi[i.  Then  they  made  shew  [signs]  to  he  sorry  for  our 
losse  and  grieved  to  see  us  in  so  poor  a  state.  One  of 
them  went  unto  their  lodging  and  fetcht  a  round  rie 
loafe  weighing  about  8  pounds,  with  some  smoked  foules, 
which  we  accej)ted  thankfully,  and  gave  then,  in  ex- 
change halfe  a  dozen  of  biscuit.  And  we  were  much 
comforted  to  see  the  Russians,  for  that  in  thirteene 
months  time  we  had  not  scene  any  man,  but  only  mon- 
sterous  and  cruell  wild  be'ares.  And  we  thanked  God 
with  all  our  hearts  that  he  had  been  so  gracious  and 
mercifull  unto  us." 

The  next  day  the  Russians  dug  up  some  bari'els  of 
train-oil  which  they  had  buried  in  the  shingle  of  the 
beach,  put  them  aboard,  and  sailed  away.  Our  Dutch 
friends  followed  in  their  boats,  but,  a  fog  coming  on, 
lost  sight  of  them,  and  soon  became  beset  by  ice.  Once 
more  they  were  weather-bound.  There  was  a  raging 
storm,  the  wind  blowing  furiously  from  the  northwest, 
with  a  torrent  of  rain,  an  experience  to  which  they  had 
grown  quite  unaccustomed.  Though  they  covered  the 
boats  with  sails,  they  could  not  keep  themselves  dry. 
But  this  detention,   they   thought,    was   a   blessing    in 


From  Nova  Zembla  to  Lapland       3 1 1 


disguise;  for  the  next  day,  landing  on  an  island,  tliey 
found  an  abundance  of  spoon-wort  or  scurvy-grass,  in 
those  times  considered  a  sovereign  remedy  for  scurvy. 

"Now  some  of  us  could  eat  biskit  againe,  wliich  not 
long  before  they  could  not  do  "  (no  doubt  lx!cause  of  the 
soreness  of  the  gums  and  loosening  of  the  teeth). 

Still  weather-bound,  they  began  to  be  seriously  anx- 
ious over  their  scant  suppl}'  of  food.  They  had  nothing 
now  but  a  little  bread  and  cheese,  a  meagre  diet  truly 
for  men  recovering  from  a  long  sickness. 

They  were  now  at  the  southern  extremity  of  Nova 
Zembla. 

On  the  3d  of  August  it  was  determined  to  sail  over  to 
Russia.  "So  conunittiiig  ourselv-s  to  God,  we  set  saile 
with  a  north-west  wind."  Before  long  they  were  again 
beset  with  ice,  to  their  great  discouragement,  and  were 
compelled  to  strike  sail  and  take  to  the  oars.  They 
made,  however,  according  to  their  estimate,  about  eighty 
miles  that  day.  On  the  next  they  saw  tlie  coast  of 
Russia  lying  before  them,  whereat  tlinv  were  "exceed- 
ing glad,''  as  well  they  n  ight  be.  Ti..  \  tlien  rowed  on 
towards  tlie  shore,  which  they  found  to  »<■  "very  low 
land,  like  a  bare  strand  that  might  be  flowed  over  with 
the  water."  Later  they  encountered  a  small  Russian 
vessel.  "  When  we  had  come  hard  by  them,  they  came 
al  al)ove  hatches,  and  we  cried  unto  them,  Candinaes, 
Candinaes,  whereby  we  asked  them  if  we  were  about 
Candinaes"  (Fvanin  Xos,  the  ca[)e  at  the  eastern  side  of 
the  entrance  of  the  White  Sea),  "  but  they  cryed  againe 
and  sayd,  Petzora,  I'etzora,  to  shew  us  that  we  were 
thereal)outs." 


■]| 


111   '• 


312 


The  World's  Discoverers 


IV 'I      \ 


r  *■ 


It  was  iiiidoubtedly  a  keen  disappointment  to  them  to 
find  that  tliey  were  at  the  least  thi^w  days'  sailing  fur- 
ther to  the  southeast  tlian  tliey  supposed  themselves  to 
be.  It  was  an  error  which  would  not  have  been  made 
if  '.Villiam  Barentz  had  been  alive.  They  accounted 
for  it  on  the  ground  that  they  were  deceived  by  a  varia- 
tion of  the  compass,  due  to  its  standing  "  upon  a  chest 
bound  with  yron  bands." 

Finding  themselves  so  far  out  of  their  course,  they 
determined  to  stay  there  over  the  night.  But  the  next 
day  they  were  o  ^liged  to  remain,  on  account  of  stress 
of  weather.  They  had  nothing  left  to  eat  but  a  little 
mouldy  bread,  "and  hunger  was  a  sharpe  sword  which 
we  could  liardly  endure  any  longer."  The  next  day 
they  started,  but  a  head  wind  balHed  them  so  that  they 
made  only  about  twelve  miles,  "and  we  al  together 
heartlesse  and  faint."  Indeed,  it  must  have  been  a  cruel 
experience  to  find  themselves  starving,  after  they  had 
overcome  the  worst  obstacles  of  their  voyage  and  were 
on  the  shore  of  an  iidiabited  region. 

By  the  8th  things  had  come  to  a  sorry  pass  indeed. 
With  the  wind  dead  ahead,  the  two  boats  lay  to  all  the 
day.  "Some  of  us  were  exceeding  hungrie  and  could 
not  endure  it  any  longei-,  but  were  wholy  out  of  heart 
and  wished  to  die."  The  next  day  the  same  weather 
continued,  and  they  were  obliijcd  still  to  lie  to,  unable 
to  sail  and  too  weak  to  make  headway  with  the  oars 
against  the  strong  wind.  Two  of  the  men  landed  and 
found  a  dead  seal  "that  stank  exceedingl}',  which  they 
drew  with  them  to  our  boat,  thinking  that  they  should 
have  a  dainty  morsell  out  of  it,  because  they  endured 


If  I 


From  Nova  Zembla  to  Lapland       3 1  3 

so   great   hunger."      They   were,    however,    dissuiuled 
from  it. 

Tlie  next  day  they  were  able  to  get  under  way.  Our 
good  friend  Gerrit  was  now  so  weak  that  he  couhl  not 
row.  Therefore  he  was  set  to  stein*.  After  a  whih^  the 
wind  came  out  strong  and  f'avorabk\ 

On  the  12tii  they  saw  a  Russian  vessel  uniU'r  full  sail 
and  rowtnl  out  to  meet  it.  The  captain  went  ahoai'd 
and,  being  unable  to  s[)eak  the  strangers'  language,  by 
signs  bargained  for  a  supply  of  fish  and  some  cakes  of 
meal.  This  was  most  timely,  for  they  had  become  re- 
duced to  four  ounces  of  bread  a  day  with  a  little  water. 
"The  fishes  we  shared  amongst  us  equally,  the  lowest 
as  well  as  the  highest."  On  the  loth,  when  they 
thought  that  they  had  passed  Cape  Kanin  Nos,  tlioy 
encountered  some  Russian  craft,  from  which  they  learned 
that  they  were  still  southeast  of  tlie  ca[)e.  Tlicy  were 
also  advised  that  their  l)oats  were  (juite  too  small  for 
crossing  the  White  Sea.  They  begged  for  some  bread 
and  were  given  a  loaf,  which  they  devoured  greedily, 
as  they  rowed. 

"IMu!  Russian  sailors  treated  the  bewildered  Dutch- 
jiicn  very  kindly.  rhc^y  got  out  a  chai't  and  sliowed 
thorn  just  where  they  were.  The  lattcn-  were  somewliat 
disconcerted  whi-n  tiiey  realized  how  little  pi'ogress  they 
had  made,  and  that  they  still  had  to  cross  the  mouth  of 
the  Whit(!  Sea  with  so  slender  a  store  of  [)i()visions, 
Therefon;  the  captain  bought  some  meal,  bacon,  butter 
and  "a  runlet  of  hoiniy  "  from  the  Muscovites.  That 
evening  when  the  voyagers  lay  to,  they  enjoyed  (piite  a 
feast,  "so  that  we  thought  it  to  be  a  festivall  day  with 


1  '  1 


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The  World's  Discoverers 


us;  but  still  our  minds  run  upon  our  other  companions, 
because  we  knew  not  where  they  were."  (They  had 
bt'come  separated  in  the  darkness  of  a  storm,  two  days 

before.) 

The  next  day  they  encountered  "a  Russian  loogie 
tliat  came  sayling  out  of  tlie  White  Sea."  Without 
asking-  for  it  they  were  given  a  loaf  of  l)read,  and  were 


A   RUSSIAN   LODJA 


made  to  understand  that  the  Russians  had  met  the  other 
boat  on  the  previous  day  and  sold  provisions  to  it. 
"  To  conclude,  they  showed  us  great  friendship,  for  the 
which  we  thanked  them."  On  the  18th  they  passed 
the  long-looked-for  Cape  Kanin  Nos.  Being  sliort  of 
water,  they  wished  to  land,  but  the  surf  ran  so  high 
that  they  did  not  dare.     With  a  favorable  wind  they 


From  Nova  Zembla  to  Lapland       315 

strotclied  across  tho  mouth  of  tlie  White  Sea,  and 
"tliaiiked  God  that  he  liad  heljied  us  to  saile  over  it  in 
30  hours,  it  being  120  niik^s  at  the  least."  They  had 
now  come  to  the  coast  of  LapUmd.  Tiiis  was  getting  to 
be  something  like  home  I 

'Vfter  tliis  things  went  better  with  the  voyagers. 
Trom  time  to  time  they  met  people  smd  were  always 
treated  with  kindness,  though  their  hosts  mostly  had 
nothing  but  the  rudest  fare,  being  sometimes  poor  fish- 
eruien,  sometimes  La[)landers.  The  voyagers  were  now 
able  to  buy  plenty  of  fresh  fish  and  eat  their  liU,  be- 
sides having  plenty  of  water,  which  was  another 
great  boon. 

On  the  21st  they  saw  two  men  come  down  a  hill 
towards  the  shore.  These  supposed  strangers,  as  they 
afterwards  related,  were  planning  to  exchange  a  pair  of 
breeclies  for  some  food  (for  each  wore  two  or  three 
pair),  when  they  recognized  the  boat.  At  the  same  time 
the  occupants  of  the  latter  recognized  the  new-comei-s  as 
two  of  their  missing  mates.  Of  course  thei'e  was  a 
joyful  meeting.  Another  glad  surprise  met  them  a  few 
days  later.  As  th'^y  worked  their  way  along  the  coast, 
they  learned  that  at  Kola,  which  lies  inland  at  the 
head  of  a  deep  fiord,  there  were  three  Dutch  vessels. 
This  intelligence  did  not  particularly  interest  them, 
as  their  destination,  Wardohuus,  lay  further  on.  P)Ut 
stress  of  weat'aer  compelling  them  to  lie  to,  tliey  hired 
a  Laplander  to  guide  one  of  their  men  to  Kola,  to  see 
whether  thfy  could  get  passage  to  Holland.  The  I^ap- 
lander  returned,  bringing  a  most  cordial  letter,  express- 
ing  the   greatest    joy   at   their  safety   and    promising 


{| 


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1; 

316 


The  World's  Discoverers 


iiiiiii('(Uat(!  liclp.  Tiioiigh  it  was  signed  "  Jt)liii  ('onieli- 
soii  Uip,"  tlicy  could  not  Ijclieve  that  it  wtis  IVom  tlio 
captiiiii  ol'  tlicir  consort,  from  which  they  liiid  parted  a 
year  before,  at  Hear  Island.  They  speculated  on  the 
subject  a  whole  da}.  Then  the  captain  bethought  him 
of  comparing  the  signature  witli  that  of  certain  letters 
of  Cornelison  which  he  chanced  to  have  ke[)t.  "It  is 
surely  his  handwritiiig,"  he  cried  out  joyfully.  Still 
some  doubted;  the  thing  seemed  so  incredible,  ^^'hile 
they  still  debated,  a  boat  came  in  sight,  and  their 
doubts  were  lesolved  by  the  appearance  of  Coi'uelison 
himself. 

What  joy  thei'e  was,  what  "exceeding  gladncsse,  as 
if  either  of  us  on  both  sides  had  scene  each  other  rise 
from  death  to  life  againe;  for  we  esteemed  him,  and 
he  us,  to  be  dead  long  since!  "  He  brought  them  a  boat- 
load of  creature  comforts;  ''and  we  rejoyced  together, 
giving  (Jod  great  thanks  for  his  mercy  shewed  unto  us." 
'i'he  next  day  they  started  in  the  boat  for  Kola,  "lirst 
taking  our  leaves  of  the  Russians  and  heartily  thanking 
them  for  their  curtesie  shewed  unto  us." 

"As  we  past  along  we  saw  some  trees,  which  made 
us  as  glad  as  if  we  had  then  come  into  a  new  world,  for 
in  all  the  time  that  we  had  beene  out  we  had  not  scene 
any  trees." 

"The  11th  of  September,  by  leave  and  consent  of  the 
governor  for  the  (Jreat  Prince  of  Muscovia,  we  brought 
our  boats  into  the  merchants'  house  and  left  them  thei-e 
for  a  remembrance  of  our  long,  farre,  and  never  before 
sailed  way,  and  that  we  had  sailed  in  those  open  boates 
almost  IGOO  miles." 


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From  Nova  Zeinbla  to  Lapland       3  i  9 

On  tlio  loth  all  (MulKiikcd  for  lionu)  on  ('oniclison's 
shi[).  "Upon  the  first  of  Novt'inl)(.'r  ahont  noonc  weo 
got  to  Anistcrdiun,  in  the  f-siiinc  ciothos  that  we  woro 
in  Novii  Zciiihhi  [how  thi;  gocnl  Ijnrghcrs  must  have 
stared  I]  with  our  cajts  furd  with  white  foxes  skius, 
and  went  to  the  liouse  of  I'eti-r  Ilasselaer,  that  was  oik; 
of  the  nier(;hants  that  sent  out  tlie  t\M)  shi[»s.  And 
being  tiiere  wliere  many  men  wounfh'ed  to  see  us,  hav- 
ing estemed  us  long  before  tliat  to  have  bin  dead  and 
rotten,  the  newc-s  thereof  being  also  carried  to  tli(! 
Princes  Courte  where  the  n()l)le  lords  were  then  at  table, 
we  were  presently  fetcht  tiiither  by  the  scout  and  two 
of  the  burghers  of  the  towne,  and  there,  in  the  presence 
of  the  burgomasters,  we  made  rehearsall  of  our  voyages 
and  adventures.  And  after  that  we  were  i)laeed  in  good 
lodgings  for  certain  dales,  untill  we  had  received  our 
pay,  and  then  every  one  of  us  de[)arted  and  went  to  the 
place  of  his  aboad." 

Thus  ends  the  story  of  one  of  the  most  memorable 
voyages  ever  made.  Seventeen  had  gone  out;  twelve 
came  home, — a  remarkably  low  percentage  of  deaths, 
when  all  the  circumstances  are  considered.  The  brave 
and  skilful  IJarentz,  whose  memory  is  [)er[)etuatcd  in 
the  name  of  Barentz  Land  and  that  of  the  sea  that  he 
had  explored,  hiy  slce[)ing  on  its  icy  sllor(^  Iiut  the 
stout-hearted  Jacob  Ileemskendsc  lived  lo  serve  his 
country  ten  years  longer.  He  died  gloriously  as  com- 
mander of  the  Dutch  fleet  in  a  victory  won  over  the 
Spaniards  at  Gibraltar.  Our  friend  Gerrit  de  Veer 
is  known  to  the  world  as  the  author  of  the  chronicle 
which  we  have   followed,  a  narrative  so  interesting  by 


i 


320 


The  World's  Discoverers 


ti'  liu; 


its  simple  [Kitlios  Unit  it  has  given  delight  to  thousands 
of  readers. 

For  two  liiindred  and  seventy-four  years  no  human 
heing  ever  visited  the  lee  Haven  where  Hareiit/  and  his 
companions  wintered,  nor  the  house  in  which  they 
Hve(h  I5nt  at  length,  on  Se[)t.  !>,  1871,  a  Norwegian 
lishing-vessel,  (•oiumanded  hy  ('ai)tain  ('arisen,  made 
her  way  there  through  the  iee.  Carlsen  found  the  house 
standing. 

Hound  it  were  several  hirge  ])unchGons  and  heaps  of 
reindeer's  and  hears'  hones.  The  cloek,  the  hunks,  the 
cask  used  as  a  hatli,  were  still  in  their  old  places.  A 
halherd  was  leaning  against  the  wall,  just  as  it  had  heen 
left  two  hundred  and  seventy-four  years  heft)re.  The 
cooking-pans  were  still  over  the  fireplace.  There, 
too,  were  the  candlesticks,  the  instruments,  and  the 
hooks  that  had  hegniled  the  weary  hours  of  that  long 
night  centuries  ago.  There  was  also  a  flute  which 
would  still  give  out  a  few  notes;  and,  most  touching  of 
all,  the  small  shoes  of  the  poor  little  ship-hoy  who  died 
during  the  winter.  The  awful  cold  against  which  the 
Dutch  mariners  fought  so  hravely,  had  made  «(;5ne 
amends,  as  it  were,  by  embalming  their  memor}-,  in  pre- 
serving from  the  tooth  of  Time  the  relics  of  their  abode. 

The  Dutch  people  feel  an  affectionate  pride  in  the 
glorious  deeds  of  their  Sea-Fathers  and  cherish  these 
treasures  with  careful  reverence.  A  house,  open  in 
front,  in  exact  imitation  of  the  drawing  in  (Jerrit  de 
Veer's  book,  has  been  constructed  for  their  reception  at 
the  Naval  Museum  in  the  Hague,  where  they  may  now 
be  seen. 


Hudson's  Voyages  towards  the  Northeast     3 2 1 


CTTAPTEIl  XXX 

iiENiiY  Hudson's  voya(;es  towauhs  tiik  nohtffkast 

Tin-:  voyages  of  Hart'iitz  had  a  certain  iiifluenee  on 
those  of  tlic  renowned  ex[)h>rer  wliose  aeliievements  we 
are  abont  to  consider;  for  among  Ilndson's  treasured 
possessions  was  a  set  of  sailing  directions  for  the  Ice- 
hmdie  waters  drawn  u[)  l)y  liarentz.  Another  of  th(! 
notable  men  of  the  day,  who  was  a  friend  of  IIuds(tn 
and  determined  tlie  object  of  his  most  memorable  voyage, 
was  Captain  John  Smith,  the  hero  of  early  Virginia.  Of 
Iliidsou  himself  it  may  be  truly  said  that  no  njan  made 
his  mark  deeper  and  broader  u[)on  the  nautical  achieve- 
ments of  his  time.  And  the  astonishing  thing  about  his 
•work  is,  that  it  was  all  done  within  the  sliort  space  of 
four  years.  In  every  way  he  was  a  most  notaljU;  man. 
His  daring  and  energy  were  boundless.  His  skill  as  a 
navigator  placed  liim  easily  in  the  front  rank  of  seamen, 
so  that  his  services  were  sought  by  various  govern- 
ments: Henry  the  Great,  of  France,  made  overtures  to 
liim  to  lead  an  expedition  of  discovery,  and  the  Dutch 
secured  him  for  one.  His  obf^^.ervatlon  was  so  acute,  and 
his  records  of  landmarks,  currents,  soundings,  and  lati- 
tude so  careful  and  exact,  that  we  are  ablu  to  trace  his 
movements  very  closely  and  get  an  excellent  idea  of  the 
regions  he  visited  and  the  peoples  he  encountered. 

It   is  a  common   mistake  to   suppose  that  lu;  was  a 

Dutchman,  and  we  sometimes  find  him  called  Ilendrik 

21 


'111 


'■\^-/<l 


322 


The  World's  Discoverers 


fill   ii 


!ii   '' 


|n;i- 


Hudson.  In  fact,  lio  was  an  Englislinian,  the  grand- 
son, it  sciMns,  of  one  of  tlie  (lu'cctors  of  tlie  Muscovy 
C()ni[)any,  wliidi  had  been  cliartcred  in  15.")')  for  the  jmr- 
pose  of  furtlsoring  tlic  tra(h^  with  Russia  by  the  White 
Sea.  It  is  likely  that  he  grew  up  in  th.at  splendid 
school  of  hai'dy  sean-.cn.  At  all  events,  he  first  became 
known  .IS  a  captain  in  ii*^  service. 

On  the  10th  of  April,  K507,  a  little  company  received 
the  Conununion  together  in  the  old  church  of  St.  Ethel- 
hurga.  in  T^ondon,  as  a  j)rei)ai'ation  for  one  of  the  boldest 
ventures  ever  made.  They  [)urposed  no'diing  less  than 
to  sail  straight  north  across  the  Pole,  in  the  hope  f)f 
lindiiig  a  practicable  passage  to  the  eastern  shores 
of  Asia.  It  was  a  si)len(lid  di'cam,  a  bi-illiant  guess. 
Ky[K'rience  had  not  yet  shown  its  inn)racticahility. 
Had  it  bccTi  possibh;  to  follow  the  coun-e  thus  laid,  it 
v,()uld  have  In-ought  the  daring  navigators  right  into 
Hehring  Strait. 

Northward  the  little  vessel  steered,  past  the  Shetland 
and  the  Faroe  Ish'S,  until  trreenhmd  was  descried.  I'or 
weeks,  thiough  fog  and  I'ain  and  snow,  that  desolat(^ 
coast  was  followed.  Then  the  course  was  chauijed  to 
ilic  iiortlicast,  and  in  due  time  the  wild  shores  of  Spitz-' 
bcrgci.  v/hlcl:  iJarr-ntz  had  discovered,  hove  in  sight, 
l-'orward  the  venturesome  little  "Hopewell  "  [)ushc(l  jicr 
lonely  way,  sona  limes  diverted  from  her  course  l)v 
masses  of  mm*,  but  still  pressing  on  as  opportunity 
olTercd.  it  w;is  now  tiiv>  hei<dit  of  tlie  Arctic  sunnnei'. 
The  sun  at  miduight  stood  ten  <lc  ,rees  above  the  hori- 
zon, and  while  further"  progress  wa.",  blocked  by  intei- 
tiiinable  ice-tields,   on  shore  it  was  (juite  hot,  so  that 


m 


f 


HKNKY    HUDSON 


■ 

4       ^  1  ,^      i 

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1    *'       1 

\    '- 

^' '. .  : 

\i  f    i 

kkm 

lii'l  ■  ; 

ill 


X 


Hudson's  Voyages  towards  the  Northeast     325 

tlio.so  who  hiiidt'd  were  (Icliglited  to  (lueiu'li  thoir  thirst 
ill  a  cool  hrook. 

Iliidsoii  had  come  noaror  to  the  Pole  than  any  man 
before  him,  as  near  as  it  was  [)ossible  to  come  without 
sledges.  Further  advance  was  impossible,  and  he 
turned  Ids  jjrow  homeward.  Another  disa[)[)ointment 
awaited  him.  He  hoped  to  pass  to  the  north  of  (Jreen- 
land,  which  was  then  so  imperfectly  known  that  he  mi_<;ht 
reasonal)ly  entertain  such  an  idea,  rnd  so,  through 
Davis  Strait,  back  to  England.  He  soon  found  that 
this  was  impossible,  and  abandoning  the  attempt,  made 
strai<;ht  for  home.  The  net  result  of  the  voyacfe  was  a 
eonsiderable  increase  of  knowledt'e  of  tlie  Arctic  i-eyfions. 
B'jsides,  Hudson  reported  so  great  nund)ers  of  whales 
in  the  waters  about  Spitzbergen,  that  the  pursuit  of 
them  in  that  region  became  a  very  important  industry. 

In  the  spring  of  the  next  year  we  lind  Hudson  sailing 
again  in  quest  of  a  p,assage  to  China.  'I'his  time  he 
purposed  trying  the  noilheastern  route,  which  some  of 
tlie  earliest  explorers  had  vaiidy  essayed.  He  hoped 
that  he  could  avoid  the  dilllculty  former  navigators  had 
experienced  in  i)assing  between  Nova  ZcMubla  and  the 
mainland,  by  working  his  way  through  the  Ivostin  Shar, 
which,  as  laid  down  on  the  chart  left  by  I.arentz, 
seemed  a  practicable  strait  between  the  northern  and 
southern  portions  of  Nova  Zembla.  Accordingly,  after 
turning  North  Cape,  at  the  extremity  of  Norway,  he 
bore  away  due  east.  Ten  days  later  he  was  much  im- 
pressed with  the  <piantity  of  driftwood  wliich  lu! 
l)assed.  This  is  carried  along  from  the  North  American 
coast  by  the  Gulf  Stream  as  fur  as  the   icy  shores  of 


m{ 


I 


k^U 


m 


326 


The  World's  Discoverers 


Spitzbei'gun,  wliicli  thus  arc  strewn  with  (lotsiun  from 
far  soutlicru  forests. 

A  still  more  iiotuhk;  ex[)eru;n('e  was  the  sight  of  u 
mermaid.  It  is  thus  related  in  Hudson's  journal: 
"This  morning  two  of  our  ompanions  looking  over- 
board saw  a  mermaid.  She  was  come  close  to  the  shijj's 
side,  looking  earnestly  on  the  men:  a  little  later  a  sea 
came  and  overturned  her;  her  haeke  and  ])reasts  were 
like  a  woman's;  her  body  as  big  as  one  jf  us;  her  skin 
very  white;  and  long  hair  hanging  down  behinde,  of 
colour  blaeke;  in  her  going  down  they  saw  her  tayle, 
which  was  like  the  tayle  of  a  porposse,  and  speckled  like 
a  macrell."  This  story  is  told  in  evident  good  faith, 
and  we  can  readily  understand  how  two  superstitious 
sailors,  in  an  age  which  still  believed  in  witchcraft, 
looking  throuHi  the  mist  of  the  earlv  morniiit''  at  a 
seal,  with  its  bright,  wistful  eyes,  easily  imagined  that 
the}'-  beheld  one  of  the  supposed  half-human  denizens 
of  the  deep. 

Now  they  had  come  into  the  populous  northern 
waters,  'i'he  sea  about  them  was  alive  with  whales 
and  porpoises  and  covered  by  innumerable  sea-fowl. 
Upon  and  near  the  ice  w'as  an  incredible  number  of 
seals,  and  they  heard  the  roai'ing  of  bears.  Day  after 
day  the  "midnight  sun"  swung  in  a  ciivle  in  the  sky, 
without  ever  touching  the  horizon.  When  they  sighted 
Nova  Zeml»la  they  were,  as  nearly  as  they  could  judge, 
off  a  point  now  called  South  Goose  (-ajx'.  A  boat- 
party  which  went  ashore  to  fill  some  water-casks,  re- 
ported it  very  hot  on  the  land,  and  grass  growing  rank, 
with  numerous  tracks  of  bears,  deer,  and  foxes  in  the 


1" 


'a 


Hudson's  Voyages  towards  the  Northeast    327 

nijirsliy  gronnd.  Tliov  also  saw  a  cross  and  tiic 
remains  of  fires.  It  will  he  renieinhered  tl'at  the  IJarentz 
party,  making  their  way  in  hoats  along  this  coast, 
encountered  Uuss-'ians  who  had  come  over  to  collect  oil. 
Along  the  shore  walruses  were  ahundant,  and  iidand 
were  vast  numhers  of  wild  geese,  of  which  tlu;  vovaujers 
secured  several  dozen.  While  lying  off  the  coast,  they 
were  carried  several  miles  northward  by  a  strong  cur- 
rent. This  was  the  eastern  branch  of  tlie  Gulf  Stream, 
to  which  this  high  latitude  owes  its  comparatively  mild 
summer  temperature. 

Day  after  day  they  searched  the  coast  for  a  passage 
to  the  eastward.  But  all  their  hoi)es  were  disappointed. 
The  Kostin  Shar  was  in^jracticable. 

Tlie  land  was  very  attractive.  Says  Hudson's  journal : 
"Generally  all  the  lanu  of  Nova  Zendjla  that  yet  we 
have  scene  is  to  a  man's  eye  a  pleasant  land;  nuicli 
mayne  high  land,  witi  no  snow  on  it,  looking  in  sonu; 
places  greene,  and  det  re  feeding  thereon:  and  the  hills 
are  partly  covered  with  snow,  and  partly  bare."  The 
pleasant  summer  aspect  of  this  high  northern  island  has 
been  described  by  many  later  oUservers.  liut  the  sea 
was  full  of  drifting  ice,  such  as  that  which  shut  Barentz 
in  twelve  yeai's  earlier.  Once  for  twelve  mortal  hours 
the  explorers  battled  for  their  lives,  having  two  anchors 
out  and  fending  off  with  beams  and  spars. 

At  last  Hudson  reluctantly  concluded  that  there  was 

id  headed  home- 


il 


any 


P 


way, 


ward,  resolved,  however,  on  trying  a  passage    by  the 
northwest  the  next  vear. 


4ij 


328 


The  World's  Discovcrcn. 


Ml 

til': 'J 


II' 


m 


Ef  1 


■I 


»1!  t    1 


CHAPTER  XXXI 
Hudson's  kxit.ouatiox  of  tiik  Hudson  i.tveu 

I\  l»»()ll  Iliidsoii  Siiiled  on  tlio  V(»}ii|^o  wliicli  liiis  t^nvoii 
hiiu  ii  [)i()Uot'i'"s  place  in  the  story  of  our  country.  Most 
likely  the  Dutch  I'^ast  India  Company  was  attracted  l)y 
his  reputation  and  wished  to  enlist  his  skill  and  daring 
in  a  new  effort  to  find  a  northern  route  to  Cathay.  At 
all  events,  we  lind  him  leaving  Amsterdam  on  the  2r)th 
of  March,  in  the  "  Half-Moon,"  with  a  crew  partly  Eng- 
lish and  partly  Dutch.  On  the  5tli  of  May  lie  turned 
North  Cape  and  hore  away  east  and  south,  heading 
for  the  Vugor  Sliar,  a  [)assage  hetween  Nova  Zendjla 
and  the  mainland,  through  which,  in  187!>,  Noi'denskifild 
passed  in  his  successful  voyage  circunuiavigating  i\sia. 

Two  weeks  later  we  lind  him  again  off  North  Cape 
heading  in  the  opposite  direction.  'I'he  sea  to  the  north 
of  Ilussia  had  heen  found  full  ')f  ice,  and  some  of  the 
nii'n  who  had  sailed  in  I'^ast  Indian  waters  suffered 
greatly  from  the  cold.  IJcsides,  violent  quai-rels, 
fomented  prohahly  h}^  the  mate,  Juet,  had  hroken  out 
hetween  the  I'jiglish  and  Dutch  sailors.  Then  Hudson 
j)ro[)osed  to  the  ci'cw  to  turn  hack  and  try  for  a  passage 
to  China  ahout  the  40th  degree  of  latitude  on  the  North 
/Vmerican  coast.  This  idea  liad  been  suggested  to  him 
1)}'  his  friend,  Captain  John  Smith,  who  was  then  fit 
Jamestown,  and  who  had  sent  liim  a  letter  and  maps 
whicli  conveyed  the  impression,  based  undoubtedly  ou 


Hudson's  Exploration  of  Hudson  River     329 


Vcrniziino's  sn[)poso(l  (lisoov^rv,  tliat  soiiiewliorc  to  tlio 
north  of  tlu'  V^ipjjiiiiii  colony  was  a  strait  loadiiicf  from 
t'u!  eastern  to  the  western  ocean.  Thns  was  Sniitli 
indirectly  the  means  of  tiii  ning  a  voyage  which  wonhl 
(u-rtainly  hav^e  endc^l  in  faihire  into  one  which  made  its 
mark  on  the  history  of  the  world.  So  we  lind  the  little 
"  Ilalf-Moon  "  heading  for  America,  where  she  was 
destined  to  hecome  famous.  On  this  voyage  Hudson 
ohserved  the  lirst  sun-spot  of  which  record  has  ever 
been  made. 

The  ih'st  point  reached  on  the  western  continent  was 
P(!nol)scot  Hay.  The  ex[)lorers  had  passed  through  a 
whole  Heet  of  Frenchmen  fishing  on  the  l»aid<s.  The 
journal  says,  "but  we  spake  with  none  of  them,"  prob- 
a])ly  because  they  were  very  doubtful  of  their  welcome 
on  that  coast,  which  the  French  claimed.  The  **  Half- 
Moon  "  had  some  time  before  carried  away  her  foremast 
in  a  gale.  Now  was  an  opi)ortuiiity  of  repairing  the 
loss.  She  landed  a  party,  who  cut  down  a  tree  and 
made  a  mast.  This  work,  togt'ther  with  that  of  mend- 
ing the  sails,  occupied  a  week.  Meanwhile  iho  crew 
were  feasting  on  cod  and  lobsters,  which  they  caught  in 
great  munbers. 

The  natives  flocked  aboard  with  fine  furs,  which  they 
wished  to  exchange  for  red  cloth.  The.  were  evidently 
accustomed  to  the  easy  and  familiar  maimers  of  the 
French,  with  whom  they  bartered  constantly.  l»ut  the 
attitude  of  the  "Half-Moon's"  crew  was  very  dift'erent. 
The  record  says,  in  surly  fashion,  "The  people  ccmiing 
aboard  shewed  us  great  friendshij*,  but  we  could  not 
trust   them."      They    kept   a   constant   watch    on    the 


■.!?■ 


I 


Mf 


330 


The  World's  Discoverers 


i'( 


i!'  y' 


Indians,  "for  fear  of  being  Ixitrayed  by  them."  But 
tlie  only  treachery  shown  wjis  on  their  own  part. 
Observini]^  that  the  natives  had  two  French  sliallops, 
they  noted  where  they  were  fastened,  an<l  then  sent  an 
armed  boat's  crew  which  seized  one  of  them  and 
brought  it  off.  "  Then  we  manned  our  boat  and  scute," 
the  journal  continues,  "with  twelve  men  and  muskets 
and  two  stone  pieces  or  murderers,  and  drave  the  savages 
from  their  houses  and  took  the  spoyle  of  them."  By 
way  of  justiiication  for  this  dastardly  outrage,  the  record 
adds,  "as  they  would  have  done  to  us."  No  wonder 
that  inunediately  afterwards  it  was  thought  expedient 
to  hoist  sail  and  leave  those  parts. 

Working  her  way  cautiously  down  the  coast,  using 
the  lead  constantly  because  of  the  frequent  shoals  and 
reefs,  the  "  Half-Moon  "  made  a  landing  next  at  some 
point  on  Cape  Cod,  where  they  found  "goodly  grapes 
and  rose-trees."  Here  they  had  some  intercourse  with 
natives,  whom  they  treated  decently. 

Still  heading  south,  they  went  as  far  as  a  point  on  the 
eastern  shore  of  Virginia.  An  iiilet  here  Hudson  mis- 
took for  the  mouth  of  the  James  River.  The  journal 
says,  "This  is  the  entrance  into  the  King's  River  in 
Virginia,  where  our  Knglishmen  are."  He  must  have 
been  sorely  tempted  to  visit  his  friend  Smith,  but  he 
probably  reflected  that  a  Dutch  vessel  prowling  along 
the  shores  of  his  Britannic  Majesty's  province  would 
scarcely  receive  a  very  warm  welcome  from  the  English- 
men at  Jamestown. 

Accordingly  the  "Half-Moon"  bore  up  to  the  north- 
ward, entered  Delaware  Bay,  and  explored  it  a  few  miles, 


Hudson's  Exploration  of  Hudson  River     331 


but  was  (letciTod  from  .t?<)ing  V(My  far  l)y  tlic  fn(|Ui'iit 
shoals.  Slie  put  to  sea  ai'iiin,  alter  .u^<»ing  ayi'dund  tniv, 
l)Ut  gcttiug  off  witliout  dainagt'  into  (Iccj)  water. 

Standing  along  the  coast  and  keeping  the  lead  g«»iiig, 
the  "Half-Moon"  came  a  few  days  later  into  New  York 
Hay.  The  sea-worn  voyagers  were  delighted  with  the 
depth  of  the  water,  the  hold  hills  of  Staten  Island,  and 
the  abundance  of  line  fish.  In  a  short  time  they  caught 
"ten  great  mullets,  of  a  foot  and  a  halfe  long  a  i)eece, 
and  a  ray  as  great  as  f(mr  men  could  hale  into  the 
ship."  They  were  nuich  impressed  with  the  seeniing 
friendliness  of  the  natives,  who  are  thus  described: 
"They  were  in  deere  skinncs  loose,  well  dresseil.  They 
have  yellow  co[)per.  'I'liey  desire  cloathes  and  are  very 
civill.  They  have  great  store  of  maize  or  Indian  wheat, 
whereof  they  make  good  hread."  "Still,"' it  is  added, 
"we  durst  not  trust  them." 

It  was  early  in  September,  and  the  voyagers  saw  the 
scene  at  its  best;  the  wide  waters,  with  their  beautiful 
shores  covered  with  "great  and  tall  oakes,"  gay  with 
canoe-loads  of  savages  clad  "some  in  mantles  of  feathers, 
and  some  in  skiinies  of  divers  sorts  of  good  funvs." 
A  party  who  were  sent  ashore  came  back  enra])tnred, 
I'e porting  "the  land  as  pleasant  with  grass  and  (lowers 
and  goodly  trees  as  ever  they  had  scene,  and  very  sweet 
smells  came  from  them."  To  those  who  three  successive 
seasons  had  been  buffeted  by  the  storms  and  harassed 
by  the  ice-fields  of  Spitzbergen  and  Nova  Zend)la,  this 
new  world  must  have  seemed  enchanting. 

Still  it  was  not  all  cakes  and  ale,  A  boat  which  went 
some   distance  exploring  was   set  u[)on  by  two  canoes 


m 


i  i/ 


u^ 


The  World's  Discoverers 


full  of  psiinU'd  uarriors.  It  came  on  to  rain,  tlioir 
nijitcli  went  out,  so  that  tlieir  nniskets  wdc  nselesK, 
and  the  Europeans  had  niucli  u(h)  to  save  themselves. 
They  lost  one  nuin  killed  and  two  wounded.  'J'he  <laik- 
ness  which  befriended  them  also  liindered  them  fntm 
lindin^  the  ship,  and  the  poor  fellows  rowed  to  and 
fro  throughout  the  stormy  night.  The  next  morning 
they  found  the  ship,  and  their  dead  comrade  was  taken 
ashore  and  buried.  His  name  was  Coleman,  and  they 
called  the  place  Coleman's  l*oint. 

Quite  regardless  of  the  hostilities  they  bad  begun,  tlie 
natives  continued  to  come  to  trade.  Hut  the  foieigners 
were  too  wary  to  give  them  any  oppoitunity  for  treach- 
ery. One  whom  they  purposed  liolding  as  a  hostage 
leaped  overboard  and  made  his  est  ,[)e. 

On  the  12tb  of  Septend)er  the  "  Half-Moon  "  began  to 
ascend  the  river.  At  her  first  anchorage  she  was  visited 
by  twenty-eight  canoes  full  of  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren. But  her  crew  would  allow  none  of  them  to  come 
aboard,  though  they  bought  some  of  tlieir  wares,  such 
as  oysters  and  Ijeans.  The  journal  upon  which  we 
mainly  rely  was  written  by  the  mate,  Juet.  Comparing 
this  with  the  connnunications  which  Hudson  made  to 
his  friends,  it  seems  that  he  and  his  crew  entirely  dis- 
agreed as  to  the  treatment  due  to  tlie  natives,  and  that 
his  kindness  was  rewarded  by  friendship,  their  sullen 
distrust  by  acts  of  hostility. 

Past  the  frowning  Palisades,  past  the  majestic  High- 
lands, whose  picturesque  grandeur  surpasses  that  of  the 
storied  Rhine,  past  the  lofty  Catskills,  s{)ed  the  little 
"  Half-Moon."     Every   mile   of  the  way   opened   new 


Hudson's  Exploration  of  Hudson  River     333 


Jiuirvols.  The  river  Iccniiug  with  luw  lisli;  tlic  su[)(m1» 
hills  covered  with  luagnilieeiit  trees;  the  ahundiince  cf 
corn,  [jiinipkins,  hejuis,  tohiieeo,  grapes,  and  chestimts; 
the  wealth  of  otter  and  heaver  skins  hroiight  hy  friendly 
nativi  s  to  he  hartered  for  heads,  knives,  and  hatehets,  — 
all  these  things  greatly  impressed  tlu' delighted  voyagers. 
"Our  master's  mate  went  on  land  with  an  old  savage,  a 
governour  of  the  country,  who  carried  him  to  his  h(»use 
and  made  him  good  cheere."  This  hosj»itality  was  re- 
turned a  few  days  later  hy  inviting  some  of  the  dusky 
warriors  into  the  cahin  of  the  "  llalf-Moon  "  and  giving 
them  so  much  wine  and  spirits  that  one  of  liiem  hecame 
quite  intoxicated  and  lay  on  hoard  all  the  night  in  a 
drunken  stupor.  "One  of  them  had  iiis  wife  with 
them,  which  sate  so  modestly  as  any  of  our  country- 
women would  doe  in  a  strange  place." 

On  the  18th  of  Septemher  Hudson  reachct]  the  highest 
point  of  the  river  to  which  he  ascended,  at  or  near  the 
site  of  Alhany.  Here  the  "  Half-Moon  "  lay  an  entire 
day,  while  the  carpenter  made  some  re{)airs,  and  the  deck 
was  crowded  with  wondering,  tratlicking  savages.  A 
boat  which  had  been  sent  up  the  liver  returned  report- 
ing shallow  water,  and  it  was  decided  to  go  Ijack. 

On  the  way  down  there  was  more  of  friendly  inter- 
change with  the  natives  and  some  of  ({uite  another  char- 
acter. In  passing  through  the  Highlands,  "tiie  people 
of  the  mountaynes  came  aboard  us,  wondring  at  our  ship 
and  weapons.  This  afternoon  one  canoe  kept  hanging 
under  our  sterne  with  one  man  in  it,  which  we  could  not 
keepe  from  thence,  who  got  uj)  by  our  rudder  to  the 
cabin  window  and  stole  out  my  pillow  and  two  shirts. 


1 


I. 


*?.  ''• 


334 


The  World's  Discoverers 


Our  muster's  niiito  shot  at  liiin  and  stroakc  liim  on  tho 
brc'st  and  kilk'd  him.  WhtMcupoii  all  the  rest  tied 
away,  some  in  their  canoes,  and  some  leapt  out  of  them 
into  the  water.  We  manned  our  boats  and  got  our 
things  againe.  Then  one  of  them  that  swanuiie  got  hold 
of  our  boat,  thinking  to  overthrow  it.  Hut  our  eooke 
took  a  sword  and  cut  oil  one  of  his  hands,  and  he  was 
drowned." 

The  next  day  there  was  a  coneertcd  attack  of  the 
Indians  which  is  thus  related:  "Two  canoes  full  of  men 
\v"th  their  bows  ami  arrows  shot  at  us;  in  recf)mpence 
w.sereof  we  discharged  six  muskets  and  killed  two  or 
three  of  them.  TIhmi  above  an  hundred  of  them  came 
above  a  )oint  of  land  to  shoot  at  us.  There  I  shot  a 
falcon  [d  species  of  cannon]  at  them  and  killed  two  of 
them,  jfet  they  manned  off  another  canoe  with  nine  or 
ten  men  which  came  to  meet  us.  So  I  shot  at  it  also  a 
falcon,  and  shot  it  through  and  killed  one  of  them. 
Then  our  men  with  their  muskets  killed  three  or  four 
more  of  them.'"  This  bloody  encounter  is  sup])osed  to 
have  taken  place  at  the  upper  end  of  the  island  of 
Manna-hatta,  on  which  New  York  City  stands.  The 
journal  which  has  been  quoted  was  written  by  the  mate 
Juet,  who  was  always  suspicious  and  violent  towai'ds  the 
natives.  These  hostilities  were  undoubtedly  provoked 
by  his  killing  a  savage  for  a  petty  pilfering. 

On  the  4th  of  October  the  "  Half-INIoon  "  cleared  from 
the  mouth  of  the  river,  find  on  the  7th  of  November 
reached  -Dartmouth,  in  England.  Here  the  unruly 
Englishmen  in  the  crew,  led  probabl}^  by  Juet,  insisted 
on  Hudson's  landing.     He  then  Avrote  to  Amsterdam, 


II  ! 


Hudson's  Exploration  of  Hudson  River     335 

making  a  report  of  his  voyage  and  asking  for  nionc}-  and 
some  njen  to  rt'i)la(!e  the  insuhonlinate  '•ties.  IJefore 
he  eonUl  get  away  again,  Kin^r  -'atiu's,  wlio  was  nothing 
if  not  arhitrary,  issued  an  order  foritidding  him  to  h'ave 
the  country.  So  it  was  that  Hudson  was  forced  hack 
into  tlic  service  of  the  Muscovy  ('onipany. 

With  i  Is  one  voyage  in  tii(!ir  interest  the  Dutch  cer- 
Uiinly  liad  good  reason  to  he  satisfied.  He  iuid  ojK-ned 
to  them  a  nifignilicent  region.  On  liis  exi)h)ratiou  of  it 
they  grounded  their  chiim  to  one  of  tlje  fairest  portions 
of  tlie  earth.  Thus  he  materially  affected  the  course 
of  American  history.  The  settlement  of  tlie  Dutcii  in 
the  Middle  States  has  been  held  to  be  one  of  the  eon- 
trolling  factors  in  our  national  development. 

If  the  explorers  heard  any  mention  on  the  Hudson  of 
earlier  visits  by  the  French,  they  studiously  ignored  it. 
The  record  expressly  declares  that  they  were  the  linst 
discoverers. 


I 


I:  i 


336 


The  World's  Discoverers 


CHAPTKIi  XXXII 

HUDSON    EXJ'LOKKS    HUDSON    I'.AV 

Hudson's  I'oui-tli  voyage  derives  an  added  interest 
from  its  trai^ic  end,  wiiieli  eut  olT  one  ot  the  greatest 
lieroes  ol"  diseovery.  When  lie  was  foreed  back  into 
tlie  service  of  *^he  Muscovy  Company,  liis  friend  Sir 
Dudley  Digges,  with  some  others,  fitted  out  a  vessel  for 
him  to  eonnnand  in  a  search  for  a  northwest  [)assage. 
We  are  sorry  to  lind  the  surly  .luet  again  in  the  second 
l)erth.  Prooably  his  experience  and  thorough  sean<an- 
ship  connnended  him.  lUit  the  selection  [noved  most 
unfortunate.  IJesides  a  brief  fragment  of  a  journal  by 
the  master's  o\  .  hand,  we  liave  u  narrative  writli'U  by 
one  of  the  crew,  named  I'rickett,  wliich  is  remarkable  for 
its  vivid  style. 

On  the  ITth  of  April,  llilO,  the  vessel  sailed.  Near- 
ing  Iceland,  ""we  saw,"  says  Pritkett,  "that  famous  bill. 
Mount  llecla,  which  cast  out  niich  lire,  a  sign  of  foule 
wcalhci'  to  come  in  short  tln.e.''  Landing  at  aiiotlier 
point,  '"  \vi'  ioiMid  on  the  shore  an  hot  batii,  and  here  all 
our  I'inglishmen  batiied  themselves;  the  water  was  so 
hot  that  it  wouhl  scald  a  fowle."  On  the  4th  of  Juiu! 
Greenland  was  reached;  but  the  shore  was  so  beset  with 
ice  that  it  was  im[)0!ss;i»le  to  make  a  haven.  "On  this 
coast  we  saw  store  of  whaU's.  Three  came  close  by  us, 
so  that  wee  could  iiardly  siunnie  them,  two  [)assing  very 


lor 


Hudson  I^xplores  Hudson  Bay         337 

nccre,  iind  tlie  tliird  j^oing  uinlcr  ouv  shi[(,  l)iit  wee  iv- 
ceivod  no  luirm  by  them,  pniysecl  bo  ( iod."  I'licy  began 
to  encounter  enorni(>ii><  icebergs.  Tlie  overturning  of 
one  gave  warning  of  the  danger  of  a[>[iroaehing  thenj 
too  ch)se. 

Priekett  says  sarcastienlly,  "Some  of  our  men  this  (hiy 
fell  sieke,  1  will  not  say  it  was  for  feare,  although  I  saw 
small  signe  of  other  grief.*' 

Already  navigation  was  l.»  looming  very  dinieult, 
oving  to  the  extent  of  the  ice-iields  and  the  munbei  (»f 
huge  bergs.  Hudson  himself  was  ranch  jicrplexi'd,  but 
undismayed,  wliile  the  crew  was  almost  insubordinate. 
The  carpenter,  who,  as  we  shall  see  hitei-,  was  a  brave 
and  loyal  soul,  spoke  up  ehe(!ringly  in  suppoi't  of  tin! 
master's  arguments,  and  the  malcontents  returned  to 
their  duty.  Shortly  afterwards  the  vessel  enteicd  the 
strait  now  called  after  Hudson.  "On  one  of  the  isla'ds 
of  floatintr  ice  was  a  beaiv  which  from  one  to  another 
came  towards  us,  till  she  was  readii'  to  come  aboard. 
But  when  she  saw  us  looke  at  her,  she  east  lici'  head 
between  her  hinde  legges  and  then  dived  under  the  ice: 
and  so  from  one  piiM^e  to  another,  till  she  was  out  of  our 
reach."  Landing  somewhere  on  the  shore  of  I'ngava 
IJay,  they  "si)run;'-  1  covey  of  partridges  [ptarmigan] 
and  shot  one."  A  few  days  la*<'r  they  saw  "some  decre, 
a  dozen  or  sixteene  in  an  herd,  but  could  not  come  nigh 
them  with  a  nuisket  shot." 

Following  the  strait,  they  came  to  rai)e  Wolstcn- 
holme,  at  its  western  extremity.  "In  this  place  great 
store  of  fowlc  breed.  Tassing  along,"  —  the  wiitei'  and 
some  others  had  been  sent  ash(»re  to  exploie  thccountiy, 

22 


■':  i 


■■-.V. 


1 


338  The  World's  Discoverers 

—  "wee  saw  some  round  hills  of  stono,  like  to  grass 
cockes,  which  at  the  first  I  took  to  be  the  work  of  soMie 
Christian.  Being  nigh  them,  I  turned  off  the  upper- 
most stone,  and  found  them  hollow  witliin  and  full  of 
fowles  hanged  by  their  neckes."  It  was  evidently  a 
cache  of  Eskimo.  Returning  on  board,  tiie  party  (eagerly 
rei)orted  their  find  and  the  op[)ortunity  of  sujjplying  the 
ship  with  an  abundance  of  sea-fowl.  Jiut  Hudson  would 
not  consent  to  stoj).  Probably  he  imagined  himself  on 
the  verge  of  the  great  discovery  which  had  been  his 
dream  for  years.  This  refusal  aggravated  the  growing 
discontent  of  the  crew.  The  next  step  in  the  prepara- 
tion of  the  tragedy  was  Hudson's  removal  of  Juet,  on 
account  of  his  opposition  to  the  further  prosecution  of 
the  search,  and  his  appointment  of  Hylot  as  mate. 

The  whole  of  July  was  spent  in  exph)riMg  the  eastern 
shore  of  the  great  inland  sea,  Hudson  Hay.  On  one 
occasion  the  weather  was  so  stormy,  the  vessel  lay  at 
anchor  eight  days,  "in  all  which  time  wee  could  not  get 
one  houre  to  weigh  our  anchor."  At  last  Hudson, 
impatient  to  be  gone,  ordered  the  anchor  up,  against 
the  judgment  of  the  crew.  By  the  time  it  was  got 
a-peak  a  heavy  sea  struck  the  vessel,  the  anchor  was 
loMt,  some  of  the  men  were  hurt,  and  of  course  the  dis- 
content grew. 

The  last  of  Octol)er  found  the  party  at  the  l)ottom  of 
James's  Bay.  All  iW  summer  and  autunm  had  been 
speni  in  a  vain  search  for  a  passage  which  lluds(m 
ftuidly  ex[)ected  to  come  upon  any  day,  but  which  it  is 
now  known  does  not  lie  within  thousands  of  miles  of 
the  coast  he  w;us  exploring.     At  last  he  reluctantly  re- 


Hudson  Explores  Hudson  Bay         330 

signed  liinisclf  to  tho  necessity  of  wintering  tlieie.  "  It 
was  tinu',"siiys  Prickett,  "for  tlie  nights  were  lo!ig  and 
cold,  and  the  earth  covered  with  snow  "'  Soniewliere 
on  th(!  sliore  a  place  was  found,  the  V(  sscl  was  hauled 
aground,  and  hy  tiie  10th  of  Noveiuher  she  was  frozen 
in.  They  had  six  months'  provisions  and,  proliahly,  a 
much  longer  stay  in  the  ice  ahead  of  them.  It  was  one 
of  the  erev/'s  grievances  that,  on  their  showing,  the 
master  might  liave  had  amj)le  supplies,  had  he  so 
willed.  The  long  dreary  stay  in  the  ice  was  inauguiated 
by  the  death  of  one  of  the  crew,  a  paiticularly  moui'uful 
incident  when  it  befalls  a  little  company  isolated  from 
all  the  world. 

That  winter's  experience  proved  a  hitter  one.  The 
most  of  the  crew  had  their  feet  frozen,  besides  other 
hardshii)s.  I»ut  their  liunger  was  ndicvcd  by  such  a 
supply  of  gaui  1  as  seemed  to  them  a  real  mira(de  of 
Providence.  Of  the  snow-white  ])tarniigan  Ihcy  killed 
over  a  hundred  dozen.  When  these  had  <lisappeared 
with  the  coming  of  sjiring,  there  succeeded  swans,  geese, 
and  ducks,  hut  they  were  shy  and  hard  to  be  got, 
merely  stopping  to  rest  as  they  passed  to  their  brecdiug- 


g» 


ounds    further  north.     Then  cruel  straits  befell   the 


wretched  mariners.  They  wandered  over  the  countrv, 
which  l)egan  to  be  open  while  the  vessel  was  still  fast 
in  the  ice,  seeking  anything  that  hud  in  it  the  least  show 
of  sustenance,  even  the  Arctic  moss,  "than  the  which 
I  take  the  powder  of  a  post  to  bee  much  the  better," 
says  Prickett. 

the  time  that  the  ice  was  breaking  up  there 


About 
came 


solit; 


iry 


savaire.      Hudsoji  travc  him  a  knife,  a 


340 


The  World's  Discoverers 


looking-glass,  and  buttons.  Tic  received  them  thank- 
fully and  made  signs  that  he  wccdd  come  again.  Thi; 
next  day  tlic  honest  i'cUow  ap[)earcd,  and  this  artless 
scene  was  enacted.  Fiist  he  [iroduced  his  own  wan's, 
two  deer-skins  and  two  heaver-skins,  then  the  articles 
that  had  been  given  him.  \lv,  laid  tiie  knife  upon  one 
of  the  beaver-skins,  the  glass  and  the  buttons  upon  the 
other,  intimating  that  it  was  ai'  <'xehange.  Hudson 
then  offered  a  hatchet  for  the  two  deer-skins.  T.k; 
follow  wanted  to  [»art  with  only  one  at  that  price,  but 
liiially  yielded  the  [joint.  Tiien,"  after  many  signs  that 
after  so  many  sleepes  he  would  come  again,  he  went  his 
way,  but  never  came  more."'  It  was  an  unfortunate 
termination  of  an  intercourse  which  would  per]ia})s  have 
proved  very  helpful. 

Tiiere  can^e  a  providential  sup])ly  in  the  form  of  llsh. 
lint  this  did  not  last  long;  and  Hudson  met  with  an- 
other disa[)pointment  when  ho  started  out  in  the  boat, 
in  the  hope  of  getting  meat  from  the  natives.  Tiie  lattci' 
would  never  let  him  come  near  them,  though  they 
set  the  woods  on  fire  in  his  sight. 

At  last,  after  being  fast  in  thi'  ice  for  sever  months, 
the  vessel  was  got  out  into  open  water.  Tliis  fact  pre- 
i.'il>itated  the  im}»ending  tragedy.  In  preparation  for 
renewing  the  si'arch  for  a  passage,  Hudson  distributed 
the  remainder  of  food,  giving  t'acii  man  his  share. 
Till  n  the  long  smouldering  discontent  broke  out.  On 
the  pretext  that  he  had  ke|)t  a  large  portion  in  his  cabin 
for  himself,  though  the  real  cause  of  the  mutiny  was  a 
determination  lutt  to  engage  a,, ..in  in  tlu-  search  and 
encounter  its  hai<lshij)s,  a  majority  of  th  >  c?'ew,  under 


Fludson  Explores  Hudson  Bay         341 

the  l(^ii(l<'rslii|)  of  one  (rrccii,  ii  dissolulc  youiit^  iiiiiii 
whom  Hudson  hud  taken  under  his  eharge  and  was 
undeavorin*':  to  reform,  and  of  Jut't,  the  deposed  mate, 
rose  iu  the  night,  seized  the  ship,  and  bound  the  master. 
In  the  morning  they  put  him,  with  his  son  Jolni  and  six 
teel)le  and  hel[)k'ss  men,  into  the  boat.  When  llie  car- 
penter saw  wliat  they  were  doing,  he  expostidated  with 
thtMu  and  toM  them  that,  if  thi^y  ever  reached  ICnghmd, 
they  certainly  would  Ix;  iianged.  Seeing  them  obstinate, 
th(!  brav«!  fellow  said  that  lie  would  east  his  lot  with 
those  in  the  boat,  rather  than  with  the  mutineers.  He- 
fore  leaving  the  shij)  he  seiuired  a  musket,  some  powder 
and  shot,  some  pikes,  an  iron  pot,  a  little  meal,  and  a 
few  other  things.  With  this  slender  su[)ply  the  heroic 
explorer  and  his  wretched  companions  wtnc  set  adrift 
and  soon  disa[»p(!ared  forever  from  the  view  of  the  civil- 
ized world.  A  shi[>  sent  out  fron;  England  to  search 
for  them  failed  to  find  a  tr.ico  of  them. 

The  mutineers  held  their  course  l)oldly  homeward, 
but  were  soon  overtaken  by  disaster.  I'hey  w cie  mak- 
ing for  Cape  Wolstenhol'nc,  wl.cre  they  ho  lied  to  get  a 
suj)ply  of  sea-fowl.  On  the  way  tliey  found  nothing 
but  what  they  called  cockle-grass,  which,  however.,  they 
were  very  glad  to  gather,  for  it  t'ked  out  their  slender 
stores.  Arrived  at  the  eai)e,  they  had  seruit'd  a  small 
quantity  of  sea-fowl  and  gulls,  wlu'n  siichh'nly  they 
found  themselv(\s  near  a  nundu-r  of  natives.  Tiie  hitti'r 
made  signs  (tf  fiiendship  and  excn  took  the  while  men 
to  th  '  breeding-grounds  and  showed  them  how  liiey 
eauglit  the  birds,  by  pulling  them  nfl'  the  rocks  witli 
uooses  at  the  end  of  poles.     Tluin  the  whites  exhibited 


M 


M 


■fj 


:'i| 


fill 


34- 


The  World's  Discoverers 

'  "lint:  seven  orciir 


lit 


U' 


Iho  sniioriority  of  tlieir  method,  l)y 
birds  at  ii  shot.  All  was  friendliness  and  jollity,  tl 
savaLjcs  danciiit^  for  joy  and  eagerly  exehangiiig  sneh 
artieles  as  walrus-teeth  for  trilles.  The  sailors  returned 
0:1  hoard  ''much  rejoieing  at  this  ehance,  as  if  they  had 
Ml  -t  with  the  most  sim[>le  and  kind  people  of  the  world." 
They  felt  sure  now  that  their  wants  would  Ije  amply 
su[iplied. 

The  next  day  the  boat  started  ashore  early  with  six 
men,  one  of  whom  was  I'liekett.  In  his  lively  fashion 
h(.'  deserilu's  the  sci'ue  thus:  "When  we  eame  neere  the 
slioare,  tin;  i»>^o[)le  were  on  the  hills  dancing  and  leap- 
ing: to  the  eove  we  came  where  they  had  <lrawn  up 
their  boates:  wee  brought  our  boate  to  the  east  side  of 
th(!  (!ove,  close  to  the  rockes.  Aslioare  they  went  and 
made  fast  the  boat  to  a  great  stone  on  the  shore;  the 
pi'ojile  eame,  and  every  one  had  somewhat  in  his  hand 
to  barter;  but  Henry  Green  swore  they  should  have 
nothing  till  he  had  venison,  for  they  had  so  promised 
him  by  sigiies." 

"^erwards  the  men  wc    ' 


rtly 


upon 


n 


Si>-—       t. 


naniicd,  leaving  Pritdcett,  who  was  lame  from  frost- 
bite, to  k(M'p  the  boat  and  watch  the  artieles  intended 
for  barter,  while  they  gathered  sornd.  Tin;  savages, 
also,  seemed  to  be  nnaniied.  Presently,  while  I'riekett 
w.i^  occupied  with  a  fellow  who  hung  about  the  bow  of 
the  boat,  and  whom  he  ordered  away,  he  was  suddenly 
aware  of  one  who  had  cii'jit  behind  him  to  the  stern. 
lie  looked  up,  and  seeing  the  savage  with  a  knife  raised, 
threw  uj)  his  left  arm  just  in  tiim^  to  turn  the  point  of 
the  weapon.      A  desperate  struggle  ensued,  in  which  ho 


Hudson  Explores  Hudeon  Bay         343 


of 
'Illy 
•I'll. 

U!'J, 
(  ol" 
I  llU 


received  three  wounds,  but  finiilly  kilU'd  his  num.  In 
tlie  mean  time  the  men  on  the  rocks  wore  in  terrihh^ 
straits.  Green  and  another  caiiie  tuiniiling  into  llic 
boat  mortally  wounded.  The  rest  made  a  resolute 
stand  at  the  bow,  one  of  them  armed  with  a  hatchet, 
until  the  boat  was  got  off.  Then  the  savages  sent 
a  shower  of  arrows  after  them  and  inflicted  more 
wounds.  Before  the  ship  picked  them  up.  (ireen  was 
dead  and  was  thrown  into  the  sea.  The  rest  dittl 
within  a  day  or  two,  Prickett  alone  surviving  of  the 
boat's  orew. 

The  ringleader,  Green,  being  dead,  r>ylot  took  com- 
mand. He  proved  himself  an  able  seaman,  and  in  after 
years  won  renown  as  an  Arctic  ex[)lorer. 

Dire  hardships  awaited  the  little  handful  of  a  crew. 
After  standing  lack  and  forth  along  the  coast  some  days 
while  they  killed  some  three  hundred  more  of  sea-fowl, 
they  made  for  the  ocean.  Their  daily  allowance  was 
half  of  a  bird  each,  with  a  little  pottage.  In  time  even 
this  failed.  Then  candles  were  served  out,  and  they 
were  fain  to  eat  the  bones  of  birds  fried  in  candle- 
grease,  with  vinegar  for  a  relish.  "And  sure,"  says 
Prickett,  "our  course  was  so  much  the  longer  through 
our  evil  steerage,  for  our  men  became  so  weak  that 
they  could  not  stand  at  the  helme,  but  were  fain  to  sit. 
Then  Robert  Juet  died    for   meere    want,  and  all  our 


11111(1  were  1 


nd 


es 


pa  I  re. 


At  last  the  vessel,  driving  hitlier  and  thither,  almost 
wholly  at  the  mercy  of  the  winds,  sighted  the  Irish 
coast,  and  the  few  gaunt  suj-vivors  were  relieved  by 
fishermen.     Ultimately  they  reached  England. 


344 


'I'hc  World's  Discoverers 


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As  to  the  i^i'cat  ex[)lorer,  we  ciuiiiot  Itcttcr  close  tliis 
sketch  tlmii  witli  tins  cloijuciit  Irilmtr  IVoiii  L)i-.  .lolin 
l"'isk(^:  "Tliu  iii.ui  who  Ciiiiic  to  such  an  untimely  end 
was  a  notahle  instance  of  the  irony  of  hntnan  destiriN. 
Of  all  the  searchers  for  a  northerly  route;  to  the  Indies 
none  was  ever  more  persistent  or  more  devoted  than 
he.  In  the  brief  four  years  during'  which  we  can  fol- 
low his  career,  lu;  tried  four  ways  of  lindiuL,'  it,  —  the 
way  across  the  [)ole,  the  way  by  Nova  ZiMuhla,  hy  the 
imat,Mnary  sea  of  Verra/ano,  and  hy  the  veritable  sea  of 
Hudson.  Had  his  lif(!  been  spared,  we  should  doubtless 
have  seen  hini  enter  the  bay  afterward  discovered  \iy 
IJalHin,  the  route  by  which  success  couhl  be  attained, 
but  oidy  with  modi-i-n  resources  and  in  the  middle  of  the 
nineteenth  century." 

"In  all  that  he  attempted  lie  failed,  and  yet  he 
achieved  great  results  that  were  not  contem[)lated  in 
his  scliemes.  He  started  two  immense  industries,  —  the 
Spitzbergen  whale-lisheries  and  the  Hudson  Hay  fur- 
trade;  and  he  brought  the  Dutch  to  Manhattan  Island. 
No  realization  of  his  dreams  could  have  approadied 
the  astonishing  reality  whicli  would  have  greeted  him, 
could  he  have  looked  through  the  coming  c(!nturies  and 
caught  a  glimpse  of  what  the  voyager  now  beholds  in 
sailing  up  the  bay  of  New  York." 

"  But  what  perhaps  would  have  sur[)rised  him  most 
of  all  would  have  been  to  learn  that  his  name  was  to 
become  part  of  the  folk-lore  of  the  beautiful  I'iver  to 
which  it  is  attached;  that  he  was  to  figure  as  a  Dutch- 
man, in  spite  of  himself,  in  legend  and  on  the  stage; 
that  when  it  is  thunder  weather  on  the  Catskills,   the 


Hudson  ivxplorcs  Hudson  Hay         345 

''i'il'l'vn  sh.Mil.l  say  llmt  it  is  Ilrn.lrik  Il.ulsn,,  ,,|;,yi„.r 
at  skittl..s  with  his  ^trol.lin  vlv^v.  S<,  th.-  mh.i„,„v  of  iC 
gmit  Arctic  uiivi-utor  will  rcnain  a  rainih'ar  pmsciK-c 
Hi.K.ng  the  hillsides  which  thc,tr(.ntlc  fancy  of  Irviii-  hus 
clothed  with  imdyiiiir  romance." 


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RECENT  VOYAGES 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 

A   NORTHWEST   PASSAGE  DISCOVERED 

The  efforts  of  Frobisher,  Davis,  Hudson,  and  a  host 
of  others,  to  (ind  a  northwest  passage  failed.  But  after 
the  voyages  of  Captains  Fox  and  James  there  was  a  hill 
of  a  hundred  years.  The  scheme  was,  however,  not 
wholly  lost  sight  of.  Indeed  the  Northwest  Passage  has 
always  been  a  fascinating  dream  of  Britisli  navigators. 
Again,  in  1740-41,  the  attempt  was  renewed,  with  the 
old  result,  and  the  eighteenth  century  closed,  leaving 
the  problem  still  unsolved.  A  Russian  expedition, 
under  Kotzebue,  in  1817,  threatened  to  carry  away  the 
coveted  prize.  England's  pride  was  aroused,  and  the 
quest  was  resumed  with  energy.  One  expedition  fol- 
lowed another  in  quick  succession.  In  this  way  the 
geography  of  the  regions  in  the  north  of  the  western 
liemisphere  gained  much  in  definiteness.  In  these 
undei'takings  the  names  of  Parry,  Ross,  Barrow,  and 
Franklin  became  especially  prominent. 

In  1845  Sir  John  Franklin  sailed  with  the  "Erebus" 
and  the  "Terror,"  and  picked  crews  numbering  one 
hundred  and  thirty-four  men.  In  July,  1846,  he  was 
seen  by  a  whaler  in  Baffin's  Bay.     From  that  time  noth- 


■fi 


!'«■ 


f; 


'  I. 


m' 


■H 


\i  .    1 


35^ 


The  World's  Discoverers 


ing  was  seen,  nor  for  niiiny  years  definitely  lieard,  of  the 
expedition.  Franklin  and  his  men  and  ships  passed  as 
completely  from  human  knowledge  as  if  they  had  been 
swallowed  up  b}'  the  sea.  A  disappearance  so  mys- 
terious naturally  caused  iJainful  anxiety  which  gradually 


SIR  JOHN   FRANKLIN 


deepened  into  sorrow,  as  the  conviction  grew  that  they 
had  met  with  disaster.  No  less  than  fifteen  cxi)cditions 
left  England  and  the  United  States  between  1848  and 
1854,  in  the  hope  of  rescuing  the  survivors,  who,  it  was 
confidently  believed,  were  somewhere  alive.  It  was 
thought  reasonably  certain   that,  in   regions  in  which 


A  Northwest  Passage  Discovered       351 


they 
itions 

and 
t  was 

was 

Inch 


even  grass-eating  animals,  such  as  deer,  nmsk-oxen,  and 
hares,  maintain  themselves  in  larger  numhors,  and  in 
which  Eskimo  spend  their  whole  lives,  sf)nu'  at  least  of 
the  unfortunate  men  would  he  found  to  have  made  a 
successful  battle  for  existence. 

The  British  Admiralty  spared  no  pains  or  expense  in 
its  efforts  t.  effect  a  rescue,  and  Lady  Franklin  wiis 
untiring  in  her  exertions  and  lavish  of  her  means  in 
seeking  the  same  end.  But  the  myst(;ry  remained 
unsolved  until  1854,  when  Dr.  Kae,  conducting  an  ex- 
ploring party  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  was  told 
by  the  Eskimo  that,  some  _;ears  earlier,  about  forty  white 
men  had  been  seen  dragging  a  boat  over  the  ice,  and 
that  later  in  the  same  season  the  bodies  of  the  whole 
party  were  found  by  the  natives  near  Back's  (Jreat  Fish 
River,  where  they  had  perished  from  cold  and  hunger. 
Dr.  Rae  also  recovered  a  number  of  articles  which  were 
identified  as  having  belonged  to  the  Franklin  expedi- 
tion, and  he  received  the  reward  of  fifty  thousand  dollars 
offered  by  the  Admiralty  to  the  first  person  who  should 
bring  authentic  tidings  of  the  missing  expedition. 

The  last  vestiges  of  doubt  were  set  at  rest  by  Captain 
McClintock  in  1858.  He  led  an  expedition  fitted  out 
by  Lady  Franklin  at  her  own  expense  and  succeeded 
in  ascertaining  the  course  of  the  ill-fated  par*^  \  He 
heard  from  the  Eskimo  in  Boothia  reports  as  to  the  i  )ss 
of  the  ships,  and  he  gathered  relics  along  the  coast  of 
King  William's  Land  and  found  dceletons  that  told  a 
terrible  tale  of  disaster.  All  hope  was  extinguished, 
when  in  a  cairn  a  record  was  found  containing  an  olficjial 
statement.     It  was  dated   April  25,  1848,  and  signed 


it 


352 


The  World's  Discoverers 


iii 


i  : 


l)y  Ciiptiiiiis  Crozier  iiud  Fitzjanios.  Tl  stated  tliat  tlio 
"  Er('l)iiH  "'  and  '"'■  TciTor  "  liad  hci'ii  Lesct  siiico  Scpteinbcr 
12,  1H4(;,  and  liad  Lccn  abandoned  Ajnil  22,  1.S4S.  In 
tlie  mean  time  Sir  .lolin  I'^raiiklin  had  died,  in  June, 
1847.  rp  to  tlu'  date  of  wi'itin,^',  nini!  ol'lieeis  and 
lifteeii  men  liad  died.  It  was  added  tliat  on  tlie  follow- 
ing day  they  wonld  start  for  IJack's  I"'ish  River.  \h\ 
liae's  pi-evious  discovcu'ies  in  tlic  latter  I'eyion  eomjih'tcd 
the  story  l»y  giving  information  of  the  miserable  eiid  of 
the  hist  remnant,  as  they  struggh'd  southward,  evidently 
with  the  ]io[)e  of  reaehing  the  Hudson  Uay  settlements, 
What  these  brave  men  of  the  l-'raiiklin  ex[)editiou 
suffered,  fi'om  th(>  time  that  the  ships  were  heset,  in 
184<),  until  the  last  survivor  perished,  we  ean  but  faintly 
surmise. 

()u  the  monument  erected  to  Franklin  in  Waterhxt 
Place,  London,  the  honor  is  claimed  for  him  of  having 
discovered  the  Northwest  Passnge.  Cei'tainly,  in  the 
course  of  his  varit)us  ex[)lorations,  ap[;roaehing  the  Polar 
regions  sometimes  from  the  east,  sometimes  from  the 
west,  he  had  ti'aversed  wellnigh  the  whole  distance  be- 
tween IJaftin  IJay  and  Hehring  Sti'ait.  IJut  he  never 
made  his  way  thi'ou<>h  from  ocean  to  ocean,  and  he  can 
scarcely  be  said  in  any  sti'iet  sense  to  hav(!  made  the 
great  discovery.  That  honor  belongs,  if  to  anv  one,  to 
another  explorer,  of  e(}ual  skill  and  eoniage,  and  of  !i;i})- 
pier  fortune,  who  was  engaged  in  the  search  for  him. 

Tn  January,  1S.")(),  (he  "Investigator""  and  the  "  Iji- 
tiMprise "' sailed  from  the  Thames,  to  go  around  Cape 
Horn  and  pass  through  Uehring  Strait,  into  the  Arctic 
Ocean,  attacking  the  problem  from  the  west,   while  u 


lio 


her 


III 


ind 


)\V- 


i('(i 


Its, 


1(»U 


111 


loo 


IIL' 


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an 


lo 


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ill 


A  Northwest  Passage  Discovered       355 

whole  squadron,  following  tlie  nsuiil  route,  assailed  it 
from  the  east.  By  tlie  middle  of  April  the  "Investi- 
gator," which  alone  we  shall  follow,  reached  the  Strait 
of  Magellan  and  found  there  a  steam  vessel  ready  to 
tow  her  into  the  Pacific.  Here  was  ohserved  an  inter- 
esting instance  of  the  California  gold  fever  which  was 
then  at  its  height.  At  I'ort  Famine  was  the  wrecked 
crew  of  a  schooner  which  had  sailed  from  New  York. 
Her  owners  had  heen  in  business  there,  one  as  a  hard- 
wareman,  the  other  as  a  provision-dealer.  One  day 
these  two  put  their  heads  together  and  agreed  that  there 
was  a  good  chance  of  making  millions  in  California  to 
hundreds  in  New  York.  At  once  they  sold  out  and 
embarked  their  all  in  buying  and  equipping  a  vessel. 
Ten  weeks  later  their  schooner  was  wrecked  and  they 
were  ruined.  Their  British  cousins  could  not  but 
admire  their  pluck,  liowever.  They  would  not  listen 
to  a  suggestion  of  going  back  to  New  York.  "No!" 
they  said  cheerfully,  "we '11  get  to  California  somehow 
and  right  ourselves  yet." 

Having  passed  through  Behring  Strait,  the  "Inves- 
tigator "  crossed  the  Arctic  Circle  on  July  29,  and 
rounded  Point  Barrow,  the  turning  point  of  the  Ameri- 
can continent,  on  August  15.  Her  course  was  now 
shaped  along  the  coast  in  the  strip  of  water  between 
the  land  and  the  heavy  ice,  which,  on  account  of  its 
great  depth  and  the  shallowness  of  the  sea,  is  kept 
from  the  shoi  at  a  distance  varying  from  a  few  yards 
to  a  mile.  This  strip  is  the  cruising-ground  to-day  of 
steam-whalers,  which  every  j-ear  sail  from  San  Fran- 
cisco and  return  at  the  close  of  the  season,  steam  giving 


Pi 


1;  siiifi 

1  I 


556 


The  World's  Discoverers 


tliem  coniparativo  freedom  an d  iiKlepciideiu  o.  Wnt  at 
tlie  time  of  the  "  Investigiitor's  "  voyiisjje  tlus  si<^lit  of  a 
vessel  was  rare  on  this  eoast.  Some  Ivskimo  wlio  wi'n" 
met  ahoiit  one  hundred  and  twenty  mih-s  east  of  Point 
Barrow  had  never  seen  one  and  were  lilhal  with  wonder 
at  tlic  sit;lit. 

Tiiese  natives  were  a  stalwart  set,  the  women  some- 
wliat  good-look in_Lf,  wvw  it  not  for  the  universal  dirti- 
ness of  their  persons,  ^^■hi('h  seareely  allowed  the  tattoo- 
in,<jf  on  their  ehins  to  he  seen.  Eveiyhody  was  fat,  and 
they  seemed  to  have  stores  of  meat.  'I'liie villus  [)er- 
formed  with  artless  skill,  seemed  to  he  tlanr  ehii^f  ae- 
complishment.  When  Captain  ]\Ie(ylure  dcteeted  one 
of  them  in  the  act  of  picking  his  po(ds(!t,  at  the  very 
minute  that  with  the  othei-  hand  he  was  receiving  a  gift 
of  tohacco,  the  fellow  oidy  laughed.  U'he  whole  party 
joined  in  the  chorus,  and  evini  the  aggiieved  person 
could  not  resist  the  general  spirit  of  merriment. 

Ti  •})  worked  her  way  along  hetween  the  land  and 
the  ..,._  I'cntly  houndless  ocean  of  ice,  whose  thickness 
might  he  judged  from  the  fact  that  at  its  edge,  where 
of  course  it  was  thinnest,  it  grounded  in  thirty-five  or 
forty  feet  of  water.  The  shore  was  one  vast  plain, 
without  a  stoniM)]' elevation.  The  eve  I'anged  over  an 
inunense  green  flat,  variegated  with  moss,  grass,  and 
flowers,  and  hroken  here  and  there  by  fine  sheets  of 
fr(>sh  water.  Altogether,  it  was  a  cheerful  prospect,  in 
singular  cf)ntrast  with  the  sea  of  eternal  ice  approach- 
ing so  near.  Large  lu'rds  of  reindeer  were  seen  graz- 
ing. Water-fowl,  sut;li  as  the  eider-duck,  were  ver} 
numerous.     The  centre  of  Jones'  Island  was  one  grea' 


A  Northwest  Passage  Discovered       35^ 

awiimp,  tlio  liiv('(liii<r-pl;if(.  of  (locks  of  wild  fowl.  A 
lilt  It!  fiirtluM"  on  iiiiUvcs  wci'i^  fiHiiid  wlio  liiui  ii(>\t'r 
seen  a  I'jirojK'iiii.  'I'lioy  went  through  the  usual  siilii- 
tatioii  of  rubbing'  luwes  with  great  cordiality  and  wcl- 
(iomcd  till!  strangers  with  their  usual  eheerful  jiilfering. 
Nothing  was  '*too  hot  or  too  heavy"  for  them.  One 
fair  danio  who  had  just  received  numerous  [)resents  was 
found  sitting,  like  a  hen  on  her  eggs,  over  a  Viiried 
assortment  of  ai'tieles  that  she  had  stolen.  In  out!  j)ar- 
ticiilar  some  of  these  people  showed  an  unusual  degi'ce 
of  good  sense.  When  they  were  asked  why  they  did 
not  trade  with  the  white  men  up  the  big  river  (the 
Mackenzie),  they  answered  that  the  traders  liad  given 
the  Indians  a  water  which  had  killed  a  great  many  of 
them  and  made  them  foolish,  and  they  did  not  want 
any  of  it. 

One  'cmarkable  gift  wliicli  these  ])eople  possess  is  a 
natural  facility  in  diawing.  Give  one  of  them  pa])er 
and  pencil,  and  he  will  delineate  the  outlines  of  the 
coast  with  which  he  is  familiar  with  astonishing  accu- 
racy. It  has  often  been  remarked  that  this  artistic  gift 
seems  to  connect  this  dwindling  remnant  of  an  ancient 
folk  with  those  primitive  men  whose  rude  carvings  on 
bone  or  ivory,  found  in  caves,  are  among  the  few  icm- 
nants  of  an  age  so  long  past  that  we  can  scarcely  guess 
how  long.  They  knew  nothing  of  what  lay  in  the 
north.  Occasionally  they  had  penetrated  lanes  in  the 
ice  some  miles;  but  that  was  all.  The  great,  myste- 
rious sea  of  ice  was  to  them  terrible,  as  the  liome  of 
the  white  bear.  One  of  the  women,  with  tears  in  her 
eyes,  told  how,  lately,  one  of   these  fierce  brutes  had 


1!  m  ■ 


' 


\'\ 


■ 
I 


!)'^ 


•I   -i 


358  The  World's  Discoverers 

ciirriod  off  her  t'liild  iis  it  was  playing  near  her  on  the 
hcaoh. 

After  leaving  (/ape  IJatliurst,  .smoke  was  ohseived 
rising  in  a  dense  ehiud  on  the  shore.  Tliis  seemed  very 
remarkahle  in  a  region  in  wliieli  fuel  is  so  scarce  that 
the  idea  of  signal-fires  was  preposterous.  Some  of  the 
oHicers  were   sent  in  a  l)oat  to  investigate.      They  re- 


SMOKE  ISSUING  FROM  CLIFF  AT  CAPE  BAIHURST 

ported  that  tl-3  fires  were  volcanic,  the  smoke  issuing, 
strongly  impregnated  with  sulphur,  through  fifteen 
different  apertures.  A  few  days  later  the  "  Investiga- 
tor "  stood  off  from  the  continent  and  came  under  the 
lee  of  the  great  island  known  as  Banks  Land.  At  the 
same  time  ducks  ])egan  to  be  seen  flying  south,  — a  sure 
sign  of  approaching  winter.     It  was  not  long  before  the 


'■''.<  i. 


i- 


ym 


A  Northwest  Passage  Discovered       359 

sliip  found  Ir'i'sclf  Itcsi-t  in  tlicf  ice  in  Prince  of  \V;ih's 
Stniit,  iind  Iww  slir  s[)('nt  tlio  next  nine;  months.  W(! 
nocd  not  ^o  into  dctiiiLs.  Tlu'i't;  wen;  tlu'  iisual  exju'- 
I'itMUJL'S  of  an  Arctic;  winter,  in  tiiis  ciisc  rendered  wlioic- 
sonie  l)y  good  sense  and  cheerful  by  good  feeling 
between  all  [Kirties. 

One  day  ('a[)tiiin  McClure,  pushing  a  sledge  journey 
to  the  northward,  ascended  a  hill  early  in  tiie  luorning. 
When  the  sun  rose,  a  joyful  sight  met  iiis  eyes,  liefore 
him  lay  tlio  frc/.en  waters  of  a  channel  so  wich'  that  its 
further  shoie  could  not  be  seen.  Hut  he  kni'w  that 
beyond  it  lay  Melville  Island,  whoso  sciiilhcrn  sliore  Sir 
Edward  Parry  had  reached,  from  tiio  east,  tiiirty-odd 
years  before.  The  Northwest  Passage  was  discovered  I 
He  had  set  at  rest  forever  the  questioii  of  a  water  com- 
muiiioation  between  the  two  oceans.  This  channel  is 
set  down  on  recent  maps  as  McClure  Strait. 

We  shall  not  follow  in  detail  the  furthcu-  fortunes  of 
the  "Investigator."  She  did  not  discover  the  Franklin 
party,  nor  any  trace  of  it;  nor  was  she  so  favored  as  to 
traverse  the  route  whose  existence  was  now  establislied. 
The  next  summer,  finding  her  progress  on  that  line 
blocked,  she  turivnl,  retraced  her  course  to  the  southern 
extremity  of  Banks  Land,  passed  up  its  west  coast,  and 
entered  Banks  or  McClure  Strait.  On  the  southern 
shore  of  this  channel  slie  found  a  harbor,  where  she 
spent  the  second  winter,  and  where,  as  it  proved,  she 
was  destined  to  lay  her  bones. 

One  thing  that  surprised  the  "Investigators  "  was  the 
quantity  of  game  seen  in  this  high  latitude.  Hares  fre- 
quently  appeared   'm   troops.     One    valley   was  found 


.-•.;;N?rt,i!^^^ 


if 

f    ' 


21'' 

I 


J ',?r 


360 


1  he  World's  Discoverers 


litcmlly  alive  witli  llit'iii  luid  with  ptarmigan.  On  re- 
turning irom  a  sU'dgo  journey  of  some  weeks,  Captain 
McClure  found  that  no  less  than  twenty  reindeer  had 
been  killed  in  his  absence.  One  would  think  it  impos- 
sible that  these  animals  should  live  where  'wv.  and  snow 
cover  the  earth  nine  or  ten  months,  and  the  ground, 
where  it  is  exposed,  is  frozen  so  hard  as  to  tui-n  tiie  edge 
of  tools.  I* at  they  thrive  and  are  sometimes  found 
veiy  fat.  Wolves  and  foxes  also  abounded.  The  for- 
mer were  continually  prowling  in  the  neighborhood  of 
reindeer,  in  the  hope  of  catching  an  unwary  fawn.  If 
a  hunter  left  a  dead  deer  for  a  few  hours,  he  found 
oidy  the  bones  when  he  returned.  Once  one  of  the 
men  wounded  a  fine  buck  near  dark  and  returned  to  the 
ship,  intending  to  take  up  the  trail  in  the  morning. 
The  next  day  he  found  four  wolves  in  possession  of  the 
game.  They  were  not  alarmed  at  his  ap[)roach,  and  he 
did  not  care  to  shoot.  This  was  before  the  days  of 
magazine-guns,  and  a  man  with  a  single-shot  rifle  would 
very  naturally  hesitate  to  provoke  an  encounter  with 
wolves  so  daring.  As  he  came  nearer,  shouting  and 
gesticulating,  three  drew  back  a  few  yards.  But  the 
fourth  pertinaciously  held  on  to  the  prey.  Another  of 
the  crew  chanced  that  way  and  found  the  man  and  the 
beast  actually  tugging  against  each  other.  Of  course, 
he  put  an  end  to  the  struggl(>. 

The  summer  came,  but  did  not  bring  tbe  expected 
release  for  the  "Investigator.''  She  was  still  fast,  and 
her  crew  were  confronted  with  the  dreary  prospect  of 
a  third  winter  in  th;;  ice,  the  second  in  one  spot.  Al- 
ready for  a  yeaj  they  had  been  on  two-thirds  of  the  usual 


A  Northwest  Passage  Discovered      361 

allowance,  and  now  they  must  look  forward  to  a  still 
fmther  reduction.  IIunL;er  began  to  be  felt;  and  it 
became  evident  that,  without  a  considerable  supply  of 
game,  the  winter  could  not  be  passed  on  the  allowance 
of  food  which  the  ship's  resources  admitted  of.  One 
meal  a  day  became  the  rule.  Scurvy,  too,  had  made  its 
app(!arance,  an<l,  already  early  in  the  season,  seventeen 
men  were  on  the  sick-list.  Altogether,  the  outloolc  was 
a  sombre  one.      lUit  the   last   thought  which   Captain 


^^^^^'-^ 


(\i). 


'•    ! 


fti!-, 


BLOCK  OF   STONE   WITH   PARRY'S  INSCRIPTION 


McClure  was  willing  to  entertain  was  that  of  abandon- 
ing the  ship.  Happily,  with  the  advance  of  winter,  the 
number  of  deer  in  the  neighborhood  became  really  won- 
derful. In  spite,  too,  of  their  privation  and  their 
cheerless  environment,  tlie  s[)irits  of  the  crew  remained 
remarkably  good.  Their  hardships  were  the  favorite 
subject  of  je^t.  So  it  was  that,  at  the  close  of  18r)2, 
Captain  McClure  had  reason  to  feel  i)rofound  gratitude 
for  many  blessings  which  he  and  his  men  still  enjoyed. 


f  ;■ 


'5  1  ■ 


362 


The  World's  Discoverers 


i 


It  was  truly  remarkable  that  not  one  of  the  original  crew 
had  died,  either  by  disease  or  accident. 

Tims  the  winter  wore  away.  In  the  spring  a  dramatic 
meeting  took  place.  The  "  Intrepid  "  and  the  "Reso- 
Inte,"  belonging  to  a  squadron  which  left  England  in 
1852,  hud  approached  from  tlie  east  to  a  position  within 
one  hundred  and  eighty  miles  of  the  "Investigator's" 
and  there  spent  the  winter.  A  sledge-party  from  the 
newcomers  visiting  Winter  Harbor,  where  Sir  Edward 
Parry  had  wintered  thirtythree  years  before,  and  in- 
specting a  remarkable  block  of  sandstone  on  which  he 
had  caused  his  ship's  name  and  record  to  be  engraved, 
were  amazed  to  find  there  a  document,  which  had  been 
recently  deposited  by  a  sledge-party  from  the  ""Investi- 
gator," stating  her  position  and  the  discovery  of  the 
Northwest  Passage. 

In  the  mean  time  a  desperate  resolve  had  been  reached 
on  the  "Investigator."  A  party  of  thirty  was  to  leave 
her,  with  the  intention  of  traveling  over  the  ice  towards 
open  water  and  home.  The  rest  were  to  remain  on 
bi)ard  until  relief  should  reach  them  —  or  death.  It  was 
a  trying  time  for  both  parties, — for  those  who  were 
ahont  to  face  the  hardships  and  the  perils  of  the  sledge- 
journey,  and  for  those  who  must  summon  fortitude  to 
see  their  companions  leave  them,  most  likely  forever. 
When  preparations  for  the  departing  expedition  were 
complete,  a  stranger  was  seen  approaching  over  the  ice. 
Imagine  the  joy  of  the  "  Investigators "  when  he  an- 
nounced himself  as  an  officer  sent  with  a  detail  from  the 
"  Resolute."  Relief  was  near  at  hand  when  they  knew 
not  that  there  was  any  within  the  Arctic  regions !     It 


It . 
'   f 


A  Northwest  Passage  Discovered      363 

was  opportune  indeed.  Without  it,  the  thirty  men  wlio 
were  about  to  start,  on  the  desperate  elianee  of  reaehing 
home  by  sledges  and  boats,  woukl  probably  have  met 
the  fate  which  had  befallen  Franklin's  followers,  while 
the  forlorn  remnant  in  the  ship  had  little  else  to  expect 
than  the  lingering  death  of  the  pioneer  Willoughl^y  and 
his  ill-fated  crews. 

There  is  little  more  to  tell.  The  "  Investigator  "  was 
abandoned,  and  her  officers  and  crew  spent  a  fourth 
winter  in  the  ice,  on  the  " Resolute  "  and  "Intrepid." 
Then  came  the  abandonment  of  these  and  of  two  other 
ships.  In  short,  a  whole  squadron  was  left  in  the  ice, 
their  crews  beijig  taken  home  on  other  vessels.  In 
England  all  ho'ior  was  rendered  to  the  brave  "  Investi- 
gators," and  Captain  AlcClure  was  knigated.  A  com- 
mittee of  Parliament,  unable  to  decide  the  question  of 
priority  between  him  and  Franklin,  reported  that  he 
had  discovered  a  northwest  passage  and  successfully 
conducted  his  followers  from  tlic  Pacific  to  the  Atlantic 
by  that  route.  The  prize  of  £10,000  was  awarded  to 
the  "  Investigator."  But  to  this  day  no  vessel  has  trav- 
ersed the  entire  distance  between  the  two  oceans. 


•i 


If 


'ir. 


.1  s 

!  1, 


364 


The  World's  Discoverers 


CliAPTEH  XXXIV 

THE   "VEGA"    HECINS   HER   FAMOUS   VOYAGE 

The  voyage  of  the  "Vega,"  under  the  auspices  of 
the  Swedish  government  and  under  tlie  command  of 
Prof.  A.  E.  Nordenslciold,  was  undertaken  in  order  to 
solve,  if  possible,  tlie  long-mooted  question  of  the  pos- 
sibility of  passing  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific 
along  the  north  of  Europe  and  Asia.  With  a  full 
store  of  supplies  and  with  a  competent  staff  of  scientific 
men,  she  sailed  from  Gothenburg  on  the  4th  of  July, 
1878.  Strong  head  winds  retarded  her  progress  north- 
ward, and  it  was  not  until  the  25th  that  she  entered 
the  Polar  Sea.  Three  days  la:ter  was  sighted  the  south- 
western portion  of  Nova  Zembla,  known  as  Goose  Land, 
because  of  the  immense  number  of  geese  and  swans 
which  breed  there. 

With  glorious  weather  and  over  calm,  shining  seas 
the  "  Vega  "  sped  southward,  having  the  treeless,  grassy 
slopes  and  valleys  of  Nova  Zembla  on  her  port  side,  as 
she  lieaded  for  the  Yugor  Schar,  the  most  southerly  of 
the  sounds  leading  into  the  Kara  Sea.  She  made  a  short 
stop  at  Chabarova,  a  Samoyed  village,  situated  on  the 
mainland  shore  of  the  strait,  and  the  resort  of  Russian 
aiid  Finnish  merchants!  who  come  thither  in  summer  to 
trade  with  the  natives  and,  with  their  aid,  to  hunt  and 
fish  in  the  neighboring  sea.     In  winter  the  Samoyeds 


The  "  Vega  "  Begins  her  Famous  Voyage    365 

drive  their  reindeer-herds  to  more  southern  regions,  and 
the  hamlet  is  deserted. 

The  natives  are  all  nominally  Christ ans,  members 
of  the  Orthodox  Church.  Uut  their  old  idolatry  is 
their  true  religion  and  is  practised  openly.  The  curious 
old  cut  on  page  86(3  might  bo  su[)poscd  to  be  a  libel 
on  the  divinities  worshipped  by  these  people,  if  it  were 


BARON  ADOLPH  ERIC  NORDENSKIOLD 

not  fully  confirmed  by  tlie  accounts  given  l)y  explorers, 
both  older  and  more  recent.  Stejihen  Burrough,  in  his 
story  of  the  voyage  of  tlio  "Search thrift,"  in  1556,  re- 
lates that  he  came  to  "a  heap  of  Samoyed  idols,  al)ove 
iiuO  in  number,  the  worst  and  the  most  unartificiall  worke 
that  evsr  I  saw:  the  eyes  and  mouths  of  sundry  of  them 
were  bloodie.  They  had  the  shape  of  men,  women, 
and  children,  very  grosly  wrought.     Some  of  the  idols 


.u 


f  H 


366 


The  World's  Discoverers 


were  an  old  sticke,  with  two  or  three  notches  made  with 
a  knife  in  it.  There  was  one  of  tlieir  sleds  broken  and 
lay  by  the  hcape  of  idols."  The  very  same  peculiarities 
are  noted  to-day.  Professor  Nordenskiold  and  his 
companions  visited  sacrificial  mounds  of  the  Samoyeds, 
wiiere  they  found  numerous  stick-idols,  like  those 
above  described,  before  which  votive  offerings  were 
arrayed.     The   mouths  of   the  images  were  besmeared 


SAMOYKD   SLED  AND  IDOLS 


with  blood,  this  being  the  means  by  which  the  divinities 
represented  were  supposed  to  take  part  in  the  sacrificial 
feast  eaten  in  their  presence  and  in  their  honor.  Near 
a  Samoyed  grave  was  a  broken  sled.  It  had  been  pro- 
vided with  the  evident  purpose  that  the  spirit  of  the 
deceased  should  not  lack  means  of  tru  sport  in  the 
other  world.  Pi-obably  reindeer  for  drawing  it  were 
slaughtered  at  the  funeral  banquet.  The  professor 
bought  two  idols  from  an  old  Samoyed  woman  who  pro- 


The  "  Vega  "  Begins  her  Famous  Voyage    367 


duced  them  from  an  out-vvorii  boot.  She  parted  with 
her  divinities  quite  readily.  This  idol-worsliii)  is 
looked  upon  at  least  without  disapproval  by  the  Rus- 
sians, who  seem  to  see  in  these  Sanioyed  "  bolvans " 
something  not  unlike  the  sacred  images  which  they  are 
wont  to  venerate. 

Except  a  few  Samoyeds  recently  settled  on  Nova 
Zembla  or  pasturing  their  herds  in  sunnner  on  the  plains 
of  Vaygats  Island,  all  the  islands  of  these  Polar  regions 
■ — Spitzbergen,  Franz- Yosef  Land,  Nova  Zend)la,  Vay- 
gats, and  the  New  Siberian  Islands  —  are  uninhabited. 
But  the  dreary  desolation  of  these  treeless  wastes  is 
enlivened  in  summer  by  an  abundant  animal  life, 
chiefly  by  immense  flocks  of  birds.  Stormy  petrels, 
auks,  guillemots,  pullins,  terns,  and  gulls  of  various 
species  are  found  in  countless  nund)ers,  sometimes 
hovering  ovtr  the  sea  with  shrill  cries,  sometimes 
crowded  together  on  the  face  of  some  cliff  and  disputing 
every  inch  of  footing,  sometimes  at  their  breeding- 
places,  where  the  eggs  are  laid,  often  without  a  trace 
of  a  nest,  so  close  together  that  it  is  impossible  to  walk 
between  them  without  treading  upon  some.  On  the 
guillemot-fells  eggs  lie  beside  eggs  in  close  rows  from 
the  crown  of  the  cliff  to  near  the  sea-level.  They  are 
hiid  on  the  rock,  whi  di  is  either  bare  or  only  covered 
with  old  birds'  dung.  They  are  so  closely  packed  to- 
gether that  a  man  lowered  by  means  of  a  rop9  from  the 
top  of  the  cliff  has  been  known  to  collect  raiu-e  than  a 
half-barrel  from  a  single  ledge  of  small  extent.  Yet 
each  bird  has  but  one  egg.  If  a  shot  be  fired,  thou- 
sands take  wing,  without   apparently  diminishing   the 


I 


i!  ■ 


•(      t  j: 


1    t| 


368 


The  World's  Discoverers 


nuiiilxMS  of  ilio.s(!  tliJit  rcmiiiii  sitting.  The  clumsy, 
slioi't-wiiiged  birds,  wlioii  they  start,  fiiU  soiiu;  distuiice 
Ixifore  they  can  begin  their  flight,  and  sonietiines  actu- 
ally tumble  into  the  water.  An  unceasing  cackle  goes 
on  in  the  loomery,  with  (occasional  angry  screams  and 
fights  about  the  ownership  of  an  t'^^g  or  the  possession 
of  a  few  inches  of  rock  to  stand  on. 

The  eggs  of  most  kinds  are  found  by  Arctic  travelers 
a  very  palatable  addition  to  their  sea-fare.  Then  tlicro 
are  vast  numbers  of  geese,  of  stately  swans,  and  of 
eider  ducks.  These  fowl  resort  to  these  regions  in  the 
l)reeding  season,  in  order  that  in  these  immense  soli- 
tudes they  may  rear  their  young  undisturbed.  Hut,  for 
all  their  care,  they  cannot  escape  their  enemies.  The 
walrus-hunters  who  in  sununer  visit  the  islands  of  the 
Polar  Sea  plunder  the  nests  of  the  eider  duck,  both  of 
eggs  and  of  tlie  down  of  which  they  are  made.  Large 
quantities  are  collected  every  year  by  hunters  from 
Norway.  It  is  said  that  the  inindjer  of  the  ducks  on 
Spitzbergen  has  been  greatly  diminished  by  the  reckless 
way  in  which  not  only  the  nests  are  robbed,  but  the 
birds  arj  slaughtered.  The  geese  place  their  nests  on 
little  hillocks,  commonly  in  the  neighborhood  of  a  small 
lake.  I) lit  the  swans,  which  are  very  dillicult  of 
ai)[)roach  by  the  hunter,  breed  on  the  open  plain.  Their 
nests,  formed  of  moss,  are  so  large  that  they  can  be  seen 
at  a  great  distance. 

There  are,  besides,  the  great  snowy  owl  and  its  vic- 
tim, the  ptarmigan,  or  Arctic  grouse.  This  bird,  whose 
winter  plumage  is  white  like  that  of  its  destroyer, 
strange  to  sjiy,  if  we  consider  its  surroundings,  is  ex- 


The  "  Vega  "  Begins  her  Famous  Voyage    369 

ceedingly  fut  and  juicy.  The  former,  unlike  otlier 
owls,  sees  exceedingly  well,  even  in  the  ]»ri<,ditest  sun- 
shine. Probahly  this  fact  is  due  to  the  length  of  the 
Arctic  day.  Its  favorite  food  is  the  lennning-,  a  small 
burrowing  animal,  related  to  the  rat,  wiiieh  tunnels  its 
way  under  the  snow  and  occasionally  appears  above  it. 


PLACE   OK  SACRIFICE 


As  its  prey  occurs  in  great  numbers  on  the  north  coast 

of  Asia,  the  owl  is  common  there. 

The  other  birds  migrate,  but  the  ptarmigan  and  the 

snowy  owl  winter  in  Spitzbergen.     What  can  they  find 

to  eat   amid  its  icy  desolation?      Nordenskifild    thinks 

that  the  ptarmigan  creeps  in  under  the  stones  of  such 

places   as    those    in  which    it   breeds,  and    s})ends    the 

winter   mostly  in   a   torpid   sta-^.     In  1872  he    found 

2-4 


I 


sr 


The  World's  Discoverers 


I- 


ill  Spitzbcrgcii  a  fell,  wliicli  wiis  the  lumiL'  of  great 
iiuiiibers  of  these  birds,  near  his  own  winter  (jnarters, 
under  the  80th  degree  of  latitude!  lie  estimated  that 
not  less  than  two  hundred  were  shot  there  during  the 
winter. 

Even  song-birds  are  not  wholly  wanting  in  the  Polar 
sunnner.  Tlu;  twitter  of  the  snow-bunting  may  be 
heard  on  the  grassy  plains  where  it  builds  its  nest;  and 
shore-larks  rear  their  little  broods  under  bushes  or 
stones  in  carefully  built  nests  lined  with  grass  and 
feathers. 

When  we  tliink  of  the  Polar  regions,  the  reindeer, 
which  plays  so  conspicuous  a  part  in  its  life,  naturally 
comes  to  the  mind.  This  remarkable  animal  is  found 
nearly  as  far  to  the  north  as  the  limit  of  land  in  the  Old 
World.  The  rigors  of  the  Polar  winter  do  not  seem  to 
seriously  affect  it.  It  is  found  in  a  thriving  condition 
so  far  as  80°  or  81°  north.  Even  hi  winter  it  finds 
abundant  food  on  the  mountain  slopes  swept  clear  of 
snow  by  storms.  That  even  the  Norwegian  reindeer 
can  bear  the  climate  of  Spitzbergen  is  shown  by  the 
fact  that  some  of  the  draught  animals  which  Norden- 
skiiild  took  with  him  to  Spitzbergen  in  1872,  having 
made  their  escape  and  joined  their  wild  kin,  were  shot 
by  hunters  in  1875  and  Avere  found  to  be  very  fat. 
The  animals  thrive  and  are  very  numerous  in  Spitzber- 
gen. A  strange  story  is  told  of  some  Russians  who  in 
1743  were  by  an  accident  thrown  on  this  coast  with 
only  powder  and  ball  for  twelve  shots.  They  were 
compelled  to  spend  six  successive  years  on  this  desolate 
coast.     When  the  three  survivors  Avere  found  and  res- 


The  "  Vega  "  Ikgins  her  Famous  Voyage    37 1 

cuotl,  they  luul  without  (iic!-iinus  killt'il  two  Imndrcd  iiiid 
fifty  iviiidciT. 

Anotlior  very  important  (loiiizcu  of  tlicso  liiij^h  liiti- 
tudcs  is  the  Pohir  heiir.  The  fiirtiier  north  one  goes, 
the  more  he  seems  to  he  ut  home.  He  fre([uents  priiici- 
jKiUy  coasts  and  islands  which  are  surrounded  by  drift- 
ice,  even  ice-floes  far  out  at  sea,  for  Ids  hest  huntiiit,'  is 
among  the  ice-fields.  When  he  ohservi's  a  man,  he 
commonly  a[)proaches,  in  the  hope  of  jirey,  trying  all 
the  wliile  by  zigzag  movements  to  conceal  his  inten- 
tions. If  one  keeps  quite  still,  the  bear  comes  so  near 
as  to  be  shot  at  the  distaiuu?  of  a  few  feet.  If  an  un- 
armed man  falls  in  with  a  Polar  bear,  some  rapid  move- 
ments and  loud  cries  are  gcnierally  suilicient  to  put  him 
to  flight;  but  if  the  man  attempts  to  I'un  away,  ho  is 
sure  to  have  the  bear  after  him  at  full  speed.  If  the 
animal  is  wounded,  he  always  takes  to  flight.  While 
camping  in  these  regions,  often,  on  awaking  in  the 
morning,  one  finds  in  the  neighborhood  a  bear  that 
has  nosed  around  the  tent,  without  daring  to  attack  it. 
This  animal  has  a  special  fancy  for  investigation.  Let 
him  find  a  depot  of  provisions  or  anything  covered,  lie 
will  never  be  content  until  he  has  toi'u  it  o{)en,  tossed 
about  its  C(mtents,  and  eaten  everything  which  he  con- 
sider eatable.  Sometimes,  owing  to  a  very  wide  range 
of  taste,  he  gets  very  queer  things  into  his  interior. 
During  one  of  the  English  expeditions  in  search  of  Sir 
John  Franklin,  one  was  killed  in  whose  stomach  was 
found,  among  a  miscellaneous  collection  of  odds  and 
ends,  a  large  supply  of  sticking-plaster,  a  part  of  the 
contents  of  a  cachd  which  he  had  robbed. 


11'2- 


The  World's  Discoverers 


'  •■  i.'IS 


It  is  evident  tliut  this  animal  has  h)st  niiK^h  of  his 
native;  ferocity  sinco  experieiiee  has  tauglit  him  how 
i'ormidahk!  man  is.  In  the  earliest  ex[)h>rations  tlio 
siglit  of  a  hear  created  great  dismay,  as  we  gather  from 
tiie  stories  of  snch  (MUfounters  during  liarentz  voyages; 
hut  now  walrus  liuntcrs  do  not  hesitate  for  a  moment  to 
attack  tliem,  relying  rather  on  the  lanco  than  on  the 
gun,  though  the  modern  niagazine-rilles  are  immensely 
more?  ei"fe(!tive  than  the  earlier  Hrearms. 

The  Polar  hear  first  heeamo  known  to  Europeans  after 
the  Norwi'giaus'  discovery  of  CrriK'uland  and  Iceland,  and 
was  at  first  considered  an  extraordinary  rarity.  In  the 
year  10(54  the  King  of  Denmark  gave  in  exchange  for 
a  white  hear  from  Greenland  a  well -equipped,  full- 
riggeil  trading-vessel,  a  considerahle  sum  of  money,  and 
a  valuable  gold  ring.  At  the  present  time  they  are  very 
far  indeed  from  h:!ing  thought  rare.  The  Norwegian 
walrus-hunting  vessels  kill,  on  an  average,  at  least  a 
hundred  yearly. 

Another  interesting  denizen  of  the  Polar  regions  is 
the  mountain  fox,  which  is  common  both  on  Spitzbergtn 
and  Nova  Zembla.  It  will  be  remembered  that  the 
Barentz  party  subsisted  largely  on  it.  Its  abode  some- 
times consists  of  a  number  of  passages  excavated  in  the 
ground  and  connected  together,  with  several  openings. 

The  lennning  occurs  in  incredible  numbers  on  Nova 
Zembla.  In  the  early  summer,  on  the  disappearance  of 
the  snow,  there  will  bo  found  in  the  meadows  innumer- 
able little  paths  intersecting  each  other  in  every  direc- 
tion. These  have  been  formed  by  the  passing  to  and 
fro  of  these  little  animals  under  the  snow.     Thus  they 


The  "  Vvjga  "  Begins  her  Famous  Voyage    373 

live,  st'CMiroly  protected  iij^iiiiist  the  severe  cold  and 
luiviii^  iit  Itaiid  ail  almiidaiit  supply  ol'  food  in  the  jrniss 
and  lieheii.s  above  the  frozen  j^^ronnd.  A  eohiiiy  of  many 
thousands  of  animals  d\v«dls  saft?  and  warm  where  a 
easual  observer  would  see  nothin<;  but  a  waste  of  snow. 

IJut  it  is  in  the  Toiar  Sea  that  animal  life  is  mo.st 
abundant.  The  ocean  fairly  swarms  witl:  ernstaeea  and 
with  a  vast  variety  of  marine  life.  Tlie  (explorers  soon 
found  a  way  of  turnin<j  this  fact  to  their  advantage.  If 
they  wanted  a  specdmen  skeletonized,  they  liad  only  to 
lower  it  into  the  water.  After  a  sullicient  time  the 
bones  would  be  found  to  have  been  completely  stripi)ed 
of  tlesh.  What  is  nMuarkable  about  this  abundance  of 
animal  life  is  the  intense  cold  in  which  it  exists.  Facts 
like  these  tend  to  n[)set  many  of  our  notions.  An 
exceedin<,dy  interesting  discovery  made  by  Nordenskifild 
during  the  winter  was  that  of  a  very  minute  crustacean 
living  in  the  snow  along  the  beach,  which  has  the  power 
of  emitting  an  intense  bluish-white  Hash  of  light.  The 
effect  of  this  phosphorescent  illumination  shining  alxmt 
one's  feet  at  every  step  on  a  dark  winter  day,  with  the 
sun  out  of  sight  and  the  mercuiy  api)arently  trying  to 
go  there  too,  must  be  almost  thrilling. 

The  walrus,  another  most  interesting  animal,  has 
wholly  disappeared  from  jjlaces  where  once  luui'lreds 
were  found.  Its  curiosity  and  gregariousness  no  doubt 
have  contributed  much  to  this  result.  Its  affectionate 
nature  has  frecjuently  been  its  ruin,  for  the  mother  often 
sacrifices  her  life  in  the  attempt  to  protect  her  ofrs[)ring. 
Few  animals  have  been  the  subjects  of  more  fanciful 
stories.     Albertus  Magnus,  who  died  in  1280,  says  that 


w 


374 


The  World's  Discoverers 


they  are  taken  thus:  While  the  animal  sleeps,  hanging 
by  its  large  tusks  to  a  cleft  of  rock,  the  hunter  approaches 
stealthily,  cuts  out  a  piece  of  its  skin,  ami  fastens  it  to 
a  strong  rope,  whose  other  end  is  secured  to  trees  or 
rocks.  Then  he  awakens  the  animal  by  throwing  stones 
at  its  head.  In  its  efforts  to  escape,  it  slips  out  of  its 
hide.  It  dies  soon  afterwards.  Walrus-lines,  he  adds, 
are  very  useful  in  lifting  great  weights,  on  account  of 
their  strength.  As  he  mentions  their  sale  at  Cologne, 
it  is  probable  that  they  were  employed  there  in  hoisting 
great  stones  for  the  famous  cathedral. 

Both  the  Eskimo  and  the  Chukchis  set  great  store  by 
walrns-hide,  on  account  of  its  toughness.  They  also 
consider  its  llesh  a  delicacy.  Onr  taste  would  hardly 
agree  with  theirs;  but  the  tongue  is  said  to  be  really 
delicious.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  walrus  has  been 
hunted  by  the  Polar  tribes  for  thousands  of  years.  In 
the  caves,  where  the  remains  of  primitive  man  are  found, 
implements  made  of  walrus  tusks  have  been  discovered. 

Since  the  voyages  of  the  sixteenth  century,  which 
made  iMirnpeans  know  the  animal,  an  exterminatin<>' 
warfare  luis  bjcn  waged,  in  which  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands have  been  slaughtered.  When  the  hunters  see  a 
herd  of  walrus,  either  on  a  piece  of  drift  ice  or  in  the 
water,  they  endeavor  to  approach  silently  and  against 
the  wind,  which  is  usually  not  difficult.  If  they  suc- 
ceed in  getting  one  of  the  animals  harpooned,  they  are 
sure  of  as  many  more  as  they  can  attend  to;  for  his 
companions  'mmediately  come  swimming  up  to  the  boat, 
curious  to  know  what  is  the  matter.  In  this  way  one 
after  another  is  stru.-k,  until  all  the  liarpoons  are  in  use. 


-m^^ 


ers 


The  "  Vega  "  Begins  her  Famous  Voyage    375 


sleeps,  hanging 
unter  approiiches 
and  fastens  it  to 
uiod  to  trees  or 
y'  throwing  stones 
t  slips  ont  of  its 
is-lines,  he  adds, 
ts,  on  account  of 
•  sale  at  Cologne, 

there  in  hoisting 

set  great  store  hy 
ness.     They  also 
?te  would  hardly 
said  to  be  really 
e  walrus  has  been 
nds  of  years.      In 
ve  man  are  found, 
been  discovered. 
1  century,   which 
in   exterminating 
vnidreds  of  thou- 
the  hunters  see  a 
Irift  ice  or  in  the 
ntly  and  against 
It.     Tf  they  suc- 
rpooned,  they  are 
ctend  to;  for  his 
ig  up  to  the  boat, 
In  this  way  one 
■poons  are  in  use. 


Each  one,  when  he  is  fixed,  plunges  and  tries  to  escape. 
Soon  the  boat  is  drawn  along  at  a  whizzing  rate,  although 
the  rowers  hold  back  with  the  oars.  There  is  no  real 
danger,  however,  so  long  as  all  the  animals  draw  in  one 
direction.  If  one  seeks  to  take  a  different  course,  his 
line  must  be  cut  immediately:  otherwise  the  boat  is  cap- 
sized. When  they  are  exhausted,  they  are,  one  after 
anotiier,  drawn  to  the  surface  and  dispatched.  One  can 
easily  understand  how  l)y  such  methods  whole  herds  are 
quickly  destroyed. 

On  the  whole,  this  closer  survey  of  the  Polar  re- 
gions, with  their  long  sunnner  day,  with  their  grass  and 
bright  but  scentless  Howers,  with  their  myriads  of  wild 
fowl  swarming  on  the  faces  of  high  cliffs  or  darkening 
the  air,  and  with  their  hardy  animals  not  merely  sur- 
viving the  intense  cold  of  winter,  but  growing  fat, 
gives  us  a  cheerful  picture,  quite  the  reverse  of  what  we 
are  apt  to  imagine. 

One  terrible  plague  of  the  lower  Arctic  regions  comes 
to  mind.  We  are  familiar  with  accounts  of  the  suffer- 
ings of  travelers  from  mosquito-bites  on  the  coast  of 
Greenland.  The  face  of  a  person  venturing  into  marshy 
ground  without  a  veil  quickly  becomes  unrecognizable. 
The  eyelids  are  closed,  and  suppurating  tumors  are 
formed  under  the  hair.  The  same  conditions  prevail  in 
Alaska.  Bears,  it  is  said,  are  sometimes  so  bitten  about 
the  eyes  that  thej-  cannot  see,  owing  tc  the  swelling 
and  inflaiamation,  and  so  perish  of  starvation.  A 
hunter  has  l)een  known  to  shoot  his  dogs,  because  the 
poor  creatures  from  the  same  cause  had  got  into  such 
a  state  that  he  had  no  alternative  but  tliat  of  abandon- 


I 


Zl^ 


The  World's  Discoverers 


ing  them  in  their  misery  or  putting  an  end  to  their 
«uft'ering.  From  this  plague  the  mainland  of  Siberia  is 
-lot  free.  Especially  are  the  forest  regions  infested. 
One  reason  of  the  Samoyeds'  driving  their  reindeer  herds 
north  in  the  summer  is  that  on  the  open  grassy  tundra 
the  animals  are  comparatively  safe  from  the  attacks  of 
these  pests  of  man  and  beast.  In  the  higher  Arctic 
regions,  such  as  Nova  Zembla  and  Spitzbergen,  one  is 
exempt  from  this  torment,  —  a  very  considerable  com- 
pensation for  much  which  must  be  endured. 


.    h 


Through  the  Kara  Sea 


zn 


CHAPTER  XXXV 

THROUGH   THE   KARA   SEA   TO  THE   NORTHERNMOST 

POINT   OP   ASIA 

On  August  1,  ou  a  gloi-iously  briglit  ciay,  with  a  wind 
so  light  that  the  sails  did  little   service,  the  "Vega" 
steamed   through   the   straits   called   Yugor  Schar  and 
entered  the  Kara  Sea,  lying  between  Nova  Zembla  and 
tlie  Tainuir  peninsula.     This   sea   liad   always  formed 
the  barrier  of  nortlieast  voyages,  from  the  earliest  times 
having   generally   been   found    impassable.       But    the 
"  Vega  "  experienced  no  difficulty  and  steamed  eastward, 
encountering   only  some  open  rotten  ice,   whose   dirty 
surface  indicated  that  it  was  neither  glacier  nor  sea  ice, 
Init  had  probably  come  from  the  Gulf  of  Obi  or  Yenisei. 
Off  large  rivers  tlie  ice  is  usually  covered  with  a  layer 
of  yellow  clay,  deposited    by  the  swell  of  river-water 
washing  over  the   ice    while   the  latter  is  still  fast  to 
tlie  shore. 

On  the  6th  Captain  Palander,  going  ahead  in  the 
steam-launch  to  survey  the  course  for  the  "Yeo-a," 
killed  an  exceedingly  large  and  fat  bear.  There  was 
nothing  in  his  stomach  but  mosses  and  lichens,  from 
which  it  may  be  inferred  that  these  animals  may  thrive 
on  a  vegetable  diet.  In  1878  Novdenskibld  saw  an  old 
bear  pasturing  peaceably  with  a  number  of  reindeer. 
He  surmised  that  the  old  fellow  meditated  seizing  one 


w 


m 


•^r 


I    *i ' 


378 


The  World's  Discoverers 


when  he  should  be  near  enough.  This  reminds  me  of 
the  experience  of  some  city-folk.  Going  away  in  the 
summer,  they  made  arrangements  to  have  their  pet  cat 
supplied  with  milk.  On  their  return,  looking  down 
into  the  area,  they  were  amazed  to  see  tabby  sharing 
her  bowl  of  mill:  -yith  a  big  rat  and  frolicking  with  him 
in  the  friendliest  manner.  "Misery  makes  strange  bed- 
fellows," is  a  connnon  saying.  The  next  morning  after 
the  family's  return,  the  rat's  skin  and  bones  were  all 
that  remained  to  tell  the  story  of  h,is  short-lived  friend- 
ship with  one  of  the  enemies  of  lis  race.  Tabby  had 
imitated  the  conduct  of  those  human  beings  who,  so 
soon  as  they  are  admitted  to  more  elevated  society,  "  cut " 
their  eld  acquaintances.  If  a  cat,  with  untold  genera- 
tions of  elevating  association  with  human  beings  at  the 
back  of  it,  could  be  guilty  of  so  black  treachery,  should 
we  expect  better  things  of  a  benighted  Folar  bear,  who 
had  never  lived  in  the  refined  atmosphere  of  a  me- 
nagerie and  never  had  tasted  a  peanut? 

It  would  seem  that  1  tears  are  numerous  on  that  por- 
tion of  the  coast,  for  within  two  or  three  days  the 
"  Vega "  party  killed  two  more.  To  a  niodern  man, 
armed  with  a  magazine -rifle,  this  animal  naturally  seems 
infinitely  less  formidable  than  to  sixteenth-century 
explorers,  with  their  "  harquebushes  "  and  matchlocks 
that  often  refused  to  "give  fire"  at  critical  moments. 

On  Dickson's  Island,  just  off  the  mouth  of  the  Yeni- 
sei, a  small  herd  of  reindeer  was  seen  feeding,  and 
Captain  Palander  succeeded  in  killing  one.  The  ruins 
of  a  hut  on  one  of  the  small  rocky  islets  showed  that 
formerly  hunters  had  been  in  the  habit  of  coming  thither 


Through  the  Kara  Sea 


379 


after 


it  por- 

lys  the 

man, 

seems 

fentury 

jhlocks 

jnts. 

Yeni- 

Ig,  and 

le  ruins 

>d  that 

I  thither 


during  the  summer.  IJut  tliere  was  no  sign  of  the  pres- 
ence of  a  human  being.  On  the  Yalmal  [)onuisuhi, 
however,  which  tlie  "  Vega "  passed  a  day  earlier,  a 
Samoyed  encampment  was  observed  a  short  distance 
inland.  The  wide,  grassy  plains  of  this  great  peninsula 
afford  splendid  pasturage  for  herds  of  tame  reindeer; 
so  that,  in  the  summer  season,  tliere  is  a  quite  consid- 
erable population  of  Samoyeds.  In  1802  Krusenstern, 
a  Russian  naval  explorer,  after  an  adventurous  voyage 
across  the  Kara  Sea,  was  compelled  to  abandon  his 
vessel  off  this  coast.  Ife  and  his  comi)anions  drifted 
back  and  forth  several  days  on  a  large  ice-Ciike.  Finally 
they  landed  on  Yalmal,  destitute  of  everything,  and 
would  have  perished  had  they  not  encountered  a  rich 
Samoyed,  the  owner  of  two  thousand  reindeer,  who 
fed  them  bountifully  with  meat  and  raw  fish,  lodged 
them  in  the  tents  of  the  village,  and,  when  they  were 
rested,  sent  them  on  sleds  some  hundreds  of  miles,  to 
Obdoi'sk,  on  the  Obi. 

The  winter  in  this  desolate  waste,  lying  open  to  the 
unbroken  force  of  storms  from  the  Polar  Sea,  must  be 
something  of  almost  inconceivable  severity.  No  human 
life  maintains  itself  here.  The  few  hunters  and  fisher- 
men and  the  wandering  groups  of  Samoyeds  who  visit 
it  in  summer,  retreat  far  southward.  There  is  scarcely 
a  single  record  of  any  one's  having  wintered  on  this  for- 
bidding coast.  One  there  is,  however,  that  is  quite 
remarkable.  In  1870  a  small  vesspl.  built  on  the  upper 
waters  of  the  Yenisei  to  try  the  experiment  of  carry- 
ing a  cargo  down  that  river  and  through  the  Kara  Sea 
to  Europe,   was  detained  near  the  mouth  of  the  river 


' 


:        i 


rv 


I 

m 


ii! 


380 


The  World's  Discoverers 


until  the  early  winter  set  in.  It  was  then  put  in  winter 
quarters,  and  the  captain  and  the  greater  part  of  the 
crew  went  away,  leaving  the  vessel  under  the  care  of  the 
mate,  a  Finn,  named  Nunnnelin,  with  four  men,  all  of 
them  Siberian  criminal  exiles.  These  built  with  planks 
a  small  cabin  on  an  island  in  the  Yenisei,  collected  drift- 
wood in  great  heaps  around  it,  and  faced  the  winter.  It 
soon  came.  The  severe  cold  began  in  October.  Day 
after  day  it  grew  more  intense.  More  than  once  in  that 
awful  season  the  mercury  froze  in  the  thermometer, 
while  snowstorms  shut  the  men  in  for  several  days 
at  a  time.  The  sun  left  them  on  the  21st  of  Novem- 
ber. In  the  wintry  darkness  that  dread  foe,  the 
scurvy,  attacked  them.  The  gloomy  form  of  Death 
stalked  into  the  frost-bound  cabin  and  bore  away  one 
after  another  of  its  inmates,  until  Nummelin  was  left 
alone  with  a  single  companion.  Then  the  latter,  in 
attempting  to  cross  from  the  island  to  the  mainland, 
perished. 

On  the  11th  of  May  a  relief  party,  sent  to  save  the 
vessel,  arrived  from  the  south.  They  had  first  to  shovel 
away  the  snow,  which  lay  about  eighteen  feet  deep  over 
nine  feet  of  river  ice.  When  they  had  got  the  vessel 
nearly  dug  out,  it  was  buried  deep  by  a  new  snow-storm. 
In  the  middle  of  June  the  ice  began  to  move.  Then 
came  one  of  those  tremendous  floods  for  which  the  Sibe- 
rian streams  are  noted.  Tlie  river  rose  fifteen  feet.  The 
men  spent  six  days  on  the  roof  of  the  hut,  which  barely 
rose  above  the  surface  of  the  water,  working  day  and 
night  with  poles  to  keep  off  the  pieces  of  ice  which 
threatened   to   sweep   away   their   frail    refuge.      The 


Through  the  Kara  Sea 


38 


1  winter 
b  of  the 
L-e  of  the 
n,  all  of 
1  planks 
ed  tlrift- 
iter.  It 
ir.  Day 
e  in  that 
iioiueter, 
ii-al  days 

Novem- 
foe,  the 
)f  Death 
iway  one 

was  left 
latter,  in 
mainland, 

save  the 
to  shovel 
ieep  over 
he  vessel 
>w-storm. 
Then 
the  Sihe- 

et.  The 
ch  barely 

day  and 
ce  which 
te.      The 


whole  surrounding  country  was  inundated,  and  so 
rapidly  that  eveu  migrating  ])irds  were  caught  un- 
awares. Several  exhausted  ptarmigan  alighted  among 
the  men  on  the  roof,  two  on  tlie  dogs'  backs.  Of 
course  the  vessel  was  swept  away  and  lost.  But  it  is 
interesting  to  know  that  her  captain  bought  another 
small  craft,  built  on  tlie  Yenisei,  loaded  it  with  Siberian 
products,  such  as  fisli,  furs,  and  graphite,  and  with  the 
same  mate,  Nummelin,  and  three  other  men,  actually 
sailed  to  Norway,  Sweden,  and  St.  Petei-sburg.  Every- 
where a  warm  welcome  was  given  to  tlie  first  vessel  that 
ever  came  through  from  Siberia  to  Europe. 

In  1876,  after  visiting  the  Philadelpliia  Exposition, 
Professor  Nordenskiold  left  New  York  on  the  1st  of 
July,  took  his  own  steamer  in  Norway,  and  reached  tlie 
mouth  of  the  Yenisei  on  August  15,  only  forty-six  days 
from  New  York !  Then  he  ascended  the  river  a  consid- 
erable distance,  carrying  the  first  cargo  of  goods  by  sea 
to  Siberia.  lie  commenced  the  return  voyage  on  Sep- 
tember 1  and  completed  it  safely.  In  spite,  however, 
of  these  two  achievements,  it  would  seem,  from  wh.at  we 
know  as  to  the  usual  condition  of  the  Kara  Sea,  that  the 
question  of  marine  commerce  with  Siberia  must  remain 
problematical. 

A  very  noticeable  thing  was  the  almost  complete 
absence  of  animal  life  in  the  region  now  traversed.  The 
"  Vega  "  was  approaching  Cape  Chelyuskin,  the  north- 
ernmost point  of  the  Asiatic  continent,  in  the  same 
latitude  as  the  northern  extremity  of  Nova  Zembla.  It 
must  have  produced  a  weird  im[)ression  to  steam  along 
all  the  day  through  a  thick  fog,  over  a  sea  smooth  and 


'  1 


\  : 

i  : 
i 

i 

i' 

1 1 


I 


I        I 

f  ■     I 

'  ■  ; 


m 


382 


The  World's  Dis.overers 


glassy  as  a  mirror,  passing  occasionally  an  icc-fiekl, 
catching,  when  the  fog  lifted,  gliin[)scs  of  the  desolate 
shoi'c,  where  there  was  no  sign  of  human  existence,  see- 
ing not  a  single  bird,  oidy  very  rarely  a  seal. 

Now  they  came  to  the  great  goal  of  centuries  of  fruit- 
less struggle.  For  the  first  time  a  vessel  lay  at  anchor 
off  the  northernmost  cape  of  the  Old  World.  All  that 
was  hitherto  known  of  this  part  of  the  coast  had  been 
gained  by  api)roach  from  landward.  The  occasion  was 
one  to  be  celebrated.  Accordingly,  the  "Vega"  and 
her  consort,  the  "Lena,"  representatives  of  the  new  era, 
the  era  of  steam  and  electricit}',  decked  themselves  with 
flags  and  finnl  salutes,  while  the  old  era,  in  the  person 
of  a  solitary  Polar  bear,  paced  uneasily  up  and  down  the 
beach,  snilling  curiously  and  wondering  what  manner  of 
beings  these  intruders  were,  then  lumbered  out  of  sight, 
terrified  at  the  booming  of  the  cannon. 

Mournful  in  its  solitude  and  desolation  is  this  last 
point  of  the  old,  old  continent  which  was  the  cradle  of 
our  race.  No  sign  of  man  was  there,  scarcely  any  of 
animal  life,  and  of  the  vegetal)lc  world  little  more  than 
mosses  and  lichens.  But  future  explorers  will  find  the 
cairn  which  our  party  reared  on  the  promontory. 

At  Preobraschenie  Island  the  animal  life  of  the  Arctic 
world  was  again  found  in  profusion.  The  perpendicular 
cliffs  swarmed  with  loons  and  kittiwakes  and  guille- 
mots, and  on  the  slopes  the  great  white  owl  was  seen 
sitting  motionless,  waiting  for  its  prey.  Two  bears 
who  were  out  hunting  for  young  birds,  fell  to  the 
rifles  of  the  party;  and  in  tho  ocean  were  herds  of  seal 
and  walrus. 


Through  the  Kara  Sea 


83 


;e-fiekl, 
lesoliitc 
ce,  sec- 

)f  fruit- 
,  jinclior 
Ml  that 
ad  been 
lion  was 
fa"  and 
lew  era, 
vcs  with 
B  person 
own  the 
anncr  of 
of  sight, 

ihis   last 

adle  of 

any  of 

ore  than 

find  the 

le  Arctic 
ndicnlar 
1  gnille- 
vas  seen 
ivo  bears 
to  the 
3  of  seal 


Shortly  after  this  the  "Vega  "  arrived  off  the  Lena 
Delta.  This  region  has  since  accjuired  for  us  Ameri- 
cans a  mournful  interest,  from  the  fact  that  here,  in 
October,  1881,  the  heroic  l)e  Long  and  the  most  of  his 
comrades  of  the  "Jeannette"  i)erisluHl.  The  story  of 
their  sufferings  from  cold  and  hunger  is  one  of  the  most 
affecting  records  in  the  history  of  Arctic  exploration. 
Along  with  his  body  and  the  bodies  of  the  last  survivors 
of  his  immediate  party,  his  note-book  was  recovered. 
It  is  pathetic  to  read  the  few  lines  tiiat  tell  the  story 
of  these  brave  men's  freezing  and  starvation  in  the  deso- 
late, icy  waste.  A  remarkabU;  series  of  scieutitic  obser- 
vations shows  that  the  Old  World's  cold-pole  lies  not, 
as  we  should  suppose,  at  the  furthest  known  north,  but 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  town  of  Werchojansk,  whicli 
is  situated  to  the  southeast  of  tlie  Lena  Delta.  'JMiis 
fact  throws  light  on  the  extremely  low  temperatures 
experienced  by  these  houseless  wanderers. 

In  the  journal  the  entries  become  very  brief  towards 
the  last.  But  what  volumes  of  meaning  are  in  those 
few  words!  There  is  a  tragic  interest  about  a  writing 
which  we  know  was  traced  by  fingers  actually  stiffen- 
ing in  death. 


IW 


384 


The  World's  Discoverers 


CIIAPTEIl  XXXVI 


THK   "vKGA's"   INTKliCOUllSK   WITFI   NATIVES  OP 

sini-niiA 


1}  I' 


s      I 


'If 


Off  tho  iiioutli  of  ihc  Lena  the  "Vcgii"  parted  with 
her  junior  consort,  the  stean^cr  "Lena,"  which  was 
destined  to  ascend  that  river,  and  steamed  on  licr  way 
eastward.  If  s[)ace  permitted,  it  would  he  exceedingly 
interesting  to  take  a  little  excursion  on  l)oard  the 
"Lena"  u[)  this  great  river  of  the  North.  It  has  Avide, 
treeless  plains,  much  like  our  prairies,  with  a  rich,  hlack 
soil  that  returns  an  enormous  yield  of  grain.  Tli(>re  is 
a  vast  helt  of  forest  extending  unbroken  perhaps  three 
thousand  miles  by  hidf  that  width.  There  is  splendid 
mineral  wealth  awaiting  development.  Great  rivers 
drain  this  broad  and  rich  empire,  the  New  West,  so  to 
speak,  of  the  Old  World,  only  awaiting  the  magic  touch 
which  shall  cause  its  riches  to  pour  into  the  markets  of 
the  world.  Just  here  is  the  troid)lc.  Siberia's  great- 
est need  is  the  moans  of  developing  its  resources.  Its 
mighty  rivers  empty  into  an  ocean  frozen  through  a 
great  part  of  the  year.  Therefore  their  availability 
for  the  purposes  of  commerce  remains  doubtful. 

One  of  tho  most  striking  features  of  Siberia  is  the 
tundra,  the  wide,  treeless  plain  that  covers  a  large 
portion  of  the  northern  coast  region.  It  is  perpetually 
frozen  to  a  great  depth  and  only  thaws  on  the  surface 


S  OP 

cd  with 
ch  was 
ler  way 
ietlingly 
ird  the 
IS  wide, 
li,  l)lack 
riicre  is 
ps  three 
iplendid 
livers 
;,  sf)  to 
',  touch 
kets  of 


ic 


great- 
les.  Its 
nngh  a 
lability 

is  the 
a  large 
letiially 
surface 


Intercourse  with  Natives  of  Siberia     385 

in  suuitner,  when  it  is  covered  with  a  liglit  vegetation 
of  moss,  grasses,  and  ilowers.  It  is  all  the  more  inter- 
esting because  of  its  containing  evidences  of  a  geological 
[Kiriod  e.\t(Miding  back  perhaps  hundreds  of  thousands 
of  years.  In  this  now  treeless  waste  are  found  masses 
of  driftwood,  dating  from  a  very  remote  period  and 
caHed  bv  tlio  Russian  natives  "Noah's  wood,"  as  if  they 
woulc^.  trace  it  back  to  the  Deluge?.  IJesides,  large  tree- 
stems  may  be  seen  with  their  roots  fast  in  the  soil. 
These,  which  arc  found  considerably  beyond  the  present 
tree-limit,  prove  that  in  an  earlier  time  trees  grew  fur- 
ther north  than  they  do  now.  Tliis  probably  indicates 
a  milder  climate  then  existing. 

A  very  notable  thing  about  the  tundra  is,  that  some- 
times the  earthy  strata  alternate  with  layers  of  imie, 
clear  ice.  This  fact  throws  light  on  the  maniuu'  in 
which  the  tundra  has  been  formed.  Since  the  Siberian 
rivers  flow  from  the  south,  it  follows  that  the  ice  of  the 
upper  waters  breaks  up  at  a  time  when  the  lower  reaches 
are  still  locked  fast  in  the  grip  of  Avinter.  The  rivers, 
pouring  down  a  great  volume  of  water  swollen  by  the 
melting  snows  of  the  south,  if  they  fail  to  break  the 
mighty  ice-barrier,  overflow  their  banks  and  inundate 
the  country  for  miles.  On  low-lying  lands  this  water 
remains  and  freezes.  Then  comes  another  flood,  bring- 
ing down  a  quantity  of  soil.  So  we  have  earth  and  ice 
in  alternate  layers. 

Most  interesting  of  all,  however,  are  the  animal  re- 
mains that  occur  in  these  frozen  strata.  As  is  well 
known,  entire  carcasses  of  elephants  and  rhinoceroses 

have  been  found,  so  completely  preserved  from  putre- 

25 


?l 


Il 


II 


111  I 


386 


The  World's  Discoverers 


faction  that  tho  flesh  lius  hitcn  fed  to  dogs,  —  flesli  prf)!)- 
ahly  hundreds  of  thousiinds  of  ^'eurs  ohll  The  ivory 
thus  ohtiiined  is  to-diiy,  as  it  has  lu'cn  for  centuries,  tlie 
sultject  of  a  hierative  trade;.  The  lirst  nianunotli  tusk 
was  hrouglit  to  Kngland  in  Kill,  and  inueh  \von(h'r  was 
ex[)ressed  at  the  si^ht  of  ivory  tliat  had  (;onie  from  the 
frozen  North,  instead  of  the  tropics.  Since  the  ele- 
phant and  rliinoeeros  are  to-day  the  inliahitants  of  very 
hot  countries.  Northern  Siheria,  it  is  sometimes  as- 
sumed, nnist  once  liave  had  a  climate  like  that  of  Equa- 
torial Africa.  This  is  a  mistake.  Tlie  truth  is  that  the 
dead  animals  found  in  Siberia  belonrjed   to  a  distinct 

CD 

species,  adapted  to  a  severe  climate,  as  is  clearly  shown 
by  the  provision  which  nature  gave  them  against  cold. 
The  Siberian  rhinoceros  was  covered  with  hair,  and 
the  northern  elephant,  the  mammoth,  had  a  triple  coat, 
the  outermost  of  hair  about  fourteen  inches  long,  the 
next  of  about  six,  and  inside  of  this  a  fine,  short  one. 
Thus  he  had  changes  of  clothing  for  winter,  spring,  and 
summer;  in  spite  of  which  fact  he  has  long  since  died 
from  the  face  of  the  earth. 

A  very  singular  and  important  discovery  has  been 
made  in  France.  Along  with  roughly  worked  flint- 
flakes,  such  as  commonly  occur  in  caves  once  tenanted 
by  priniitive  man,  some  pieces  of  ivory  were  found  on 
which,  among  other  things,  an  unmistakable  mannnoth, 
with  trunk,  tusks,  and  hair,  is  carved  in  a  style  of  art 
very  similar  to  that  Tor  which  the  Eskimo  and  the 
Chukchis  of  to-day  are  noted.  This  discovery  seems  to 
leave  no  doubt  of  the  existence  of  man  and  the  mammoth 
at  the  same  period. 


>ll  j)rnl»- 
10  ivory 
rit'S,  th(! 
itli  tusk 
(Ut  wiis 
roni  tlio 
the    elu- 
of  very 
mos   as- 
)f  K([Uii- 
tliiit  the 
distinct 
y  shown 
list  cokl. 
lair,  and 
[)le  coat, 
ong,  the 
lort  one. 
ing,  and 
lice  died 

as  been 
ed  flint- 
;enantcd 
oiind  on 
muiioth, 
e  of  art 
and  tlie 
seems  to 
lammoth 


^.^%amiiiAsatm^titt!tiii,t)''-  ■  *'*».■, mr^t'»Mi'n!i 


■n 

5 


o 


'■'*iig.;.lfe#* 


,,.1 


r  ri 
if 


iV    ! 

'S     : 

i\        \        :  1 

W        ^ 

J  *- 

k     '■ 

l;',i*lj 

Ell 

^l^ni!  I 

iHHel ' 

■e^^BrI!  V 

BjKj  1 . 

IKtL.l 

Intercourse  with  Natives  of  Siberia      389 

Therefore  we  may  be  reasonably  sure  that  at  the  time 
when  tliese  monsters  roamed  the  forests  and  phiins  of 
Northern  Asia  in  herds,  that  is,  probably  several  Inn- 
dred  thonsand  years  ago,  the  human  race  alrea*!^  ex- 
isted on  the  earth,  under  conditions  not  unlike  those  of 
the  Polar  savages  of  to-day.  From  other  iiidications 
it  appears  that  the  climate  of  Northern  Siberia  was  then 
mucli  tht!  same  as  it  now  is.  We  naturally  wonder  liow 
tliese  large  animals  found  sufficient  pasture  in  such  re- 
gions. It  should  be  remend)ered  that,  even  far  north 
of  the  limit  of  trees,  there  are  luxuriant  bushy  thickets, 
whose  juicy  leaves,  with  no  tropical  sun  to  burn  them, 
are  rich  food  for  grass-eating  erf aturcs.  The  Chukehis 
collect  and  eat  with  delight  great  (|uantities  of  young 
willow-leaves. 

When  the  "Vega"  stopped,  on  lier  homewa'd  route, 
at  Aden,  near  the  entrance  of  the  Red  Sea,  Professor 
Nordenskifild  remarked:  "No  place  in  the  high  north  is 
so  bare  of  vegetation  as  the  environs  of  Aden  and  the 
parts  of  the  east  coast  of  the  Red  Sea  which  we  saw. 
Nor  can  there  be  any  comparison  in  respect  of  the  abun- 
dance of  animal  life  between  the  equatorial  countries 
and  the  Polar  regions." 

The  New  Siberian  Islands  have  long  been  renowned 
Tor  their  richness  in  elephant-tusks.  These  are  washed 
by  the  waves  out  of  the  sand-beds  on  tlu;  sliore,  and  are 
collected  at  low  water  on  the  banks  tlieri  laid  l)are.  One 
traveler  saw  as  many  as  ten  tusks  sticking  out  of  the 
ground  within  the  space  of  a  mile  or  so.  It  seems  the 
very  irony  of  fate  that,  two  years  after  the  "Vega" 
had  touched  at  these  islands  and  gone  on  her  way  safe 


I 


- 

I' 

i 

I 

1 

{ 

1 

7 
) 

,.'.  t 


'. 


I 


u, 


tl   :=' 


:    .Jil 


390 


The  World's  Discoverers 


and  strong,  the  sliipwreckod  crew  of  the  "  Jeiinnette," 
part  of  whose  mission  in  Pohir  waters  was  to  seek  and 
succor  the  ''Vega,"  found  temporary  shelter  here.  It 
is  likely  that  the  huts  which  De  Long's  party  observed 
had  been  built  by  ivory-hunters. 

The  "  Vega  "  saw  little  of  animal  life  about  the  islands, 
only  a  few  gulls.  The  season  was  now  far  advanced, 
and  the  most  of  the  birds  had  taken  their  flight 
southward. 

Cape  Baranov  was  passed  on  the  5th  of  September. 
Since  leaving  the  entrance  of  the  White  Sea  not  a  single 
native  human  being  had  been  seen,  and  the  everlasting 
monotony  of  ice,  fog,  and  shallow  water  was  growing 
wearisome,  even  to  so  enthusiastic  a  Polar  explorer  as 
the  Professor.  Now  came  a  pleasant  change.  They 
were  api)roaching  an  inhabited  portion  of  the  const, 
One  day  two  great  skin-canoes,  like  the  oumiaks  of  the 
Eskimo,  came  out  to  them,  full  of  laughing  and  chatter 
ing  savages,  —  men,  women,  and  children.  They  wert/ 
invited  aboard,  and,  skin-clad  and  bareheaded,  they 
came  swarming  merrily  over  the  guards  of  the  "Vega." 
They  spoke  no  language  but  their  own  Chukch,  and  all 
intercourse  was  by  signs.  It  seemed  strange  that  these 
people,  living  on  Russian  territory,  knew  not  a  single 
word  of  Russian;  but  there  was  a  boy  who  could  count 
up  to  ten  in  English,  an  accomplishment  which  he  had 
been  taught  bv  American  whalers.  Another  evidence 
of  their  occasional  contact  with  white  men  was  their 
calling  for  "  ram  "  (rum).  This,  however,  was  refused 
on  all  occasions  but  those  of  necessity.  The  Professor 
remarks  approvingly^  that  "even  here  theie  are  men  who 


inette," 
?ek  and 
ere.  It 
ibserved 

islands, 
[vanced, 
ir   flight 

^tember. 
;  a  single 
Bi'lasting 
growing 
olorer  as 
•     They 
le  const, 
«  of  the 
chatter- 
ley  wen/ 
d,    they 
I"  Vega." 
,  and  all 
lat  these 
la  single 
lid  count 
ho  had 
evidence 
las   their 
refused 
'rofessof 
len  who 


Intercourse  with  Natives  of  Siberia      391 

will  not  taste  spirits,  hut  with  a  gesture  of  disdain  refuse 
the  ghiss  that  is  offered  them."  .Vfter  roaming  about 
the  shi})  and  enjoying  the  liospitality  of  the  crew,  the 
visitors  went  away  rich  in  old  clothing  which  the  sailors 
gave  them  lavishly,  in  tlie  confident  expectation  of 
being,  within  a  very  few  days,  in  a  latitude  where  winter 
clothes  would  be  quite  unnecessary. 

Among  these  savages  trade  is  carried  on  wholly  by 
barter.  Tliey  know  nothing  of  the  use  of  money  and 
despise  it  as  haughtily  as  Diogenes  himself,  except  as 
so  much  glittering  metal.  The  more  glitter,  the  more 
value.  Therefore  they  would  think  a  man  very  lacking 
in  "horse-sense"  who  would  not  prefer  a  half-dozen 
bi'ass  buttons  or  .m  empty  baking-powder  can  to  a  gold 
double-eagle.  A  beautiful  black  fox -skin  was  offered 
to  Nordenskiold  for  an  iron  pot.  When  the  Russians 
first  went  to  Kamchatka,  they  got  eight  sable-skins 
for  a  knife,  eighteen  for  an  axe.  Yet  the  motives 
laughed  among  themselves  at  the  foreigners  who  were  so 
"dead  easy"  and  gave  so  much  for  so  little.  How  true 
it  is  that  the  value  of  things  is  not  in  themselves,  but 
in  the  mind's  eye  that  sees  them!  May  it  not  well  be 
ih-oi-^  if  beings  of  intelligence  as  much  superior  to  ours 
u  'V,  ts  is  above  that  of  savages  should  visit  London, 
■  ;  iS  New  York,  or  Chicago,  they  would  think  as 
ligi  <.v  of  some  of  the  things  that  we  toil  and  wear  out 
our  lives  for,  as  we  think  of  the  Chukchi's  tin  boxes? 
Hamlet  goos  so  far  as  to  say,  "  There  is  nothing,  either 
good  or  bad,  but  thinking  makes  it  so." 

In  dealing  with  things  whos.e  value  tliey  know,  tliese 
people  are  very  shrewd  traders,  with  a  constant  eye  to 


1}  I 


;!f 


ii 


.; 


, 


(' 


Hf 


392 


The  World's  Discoverers 


the  main  cluince.  Tlicy  have  been  brought  up  from 
childhood  in  an  atmosphere  of  barter.  A  constant 
intercourse  of  this  kind  is  maintained  between  Asia  and 
America.  A  sort  of  market  is  held  on  an  island  in 
IJehring  Strait,  where  natives  of  the  two  continents 
meet  and  exchange  their  goods.  Daring  boatmen  as 
they  are,  they  often  cross  from  one  mainland  to  tlie  other 
in  their  skin-canoes.  Many  a  fur  that  graces  a  St. 
Petersburg  belle  was  the  prize  of  a  trapper  in  America, 
then  was  bartered  to  an  Asiatic  savage  who  dis})osed  of 
it  to  a  Sill'  t•^an  trader,  who  sold  it  to  a  Russian  mer- 
chant at  To!  !  and  thus,  after  traveling  the  whole 
width  of  the  CL.anent,  it  has  come  to  end  its  career  at 
the  capital  of  the  Czars. 

On  the  second  day  the  "  Vega  "  was  again  visited  by 
natives,  who  invited  the  voyagers  ashore.  It  was  a 
season  of  plenty,  as  the  summer  commonly  is,  and  their 
tents  showed  a  rude  and  revolting  abundance,  to  which 
they  bade  their  visitors  a  hearty  welcome  by  unmistak- 
able signs.  Nordenskiuld  could  hardly  have  failed  to 
recall  what  old  traders  had  written  about  the  beastly 
habits  of  these  northern  tribes,  when  he  saw  an  old 
woman  with  her  bare  arms  plunged  into  the  paunch  of 
a  reindeer,  which  she  was  empyting,  and  cramming  its 
spinach-like  contents  into  a  sealskin  bag,  evidently  to 
preserve  them  for  green  food  during  the  winter. 

The  arrangement  of  their  dwellings  is  well  adapted  to 
the  bitter  cold.  There  is  a  roomy  outer  tent,  of  skins, 
in  which  tlie  cooking  is  done.  Within  this  is  a  closo 
sleeping-tent,  which  is  also  the  living-room  in  winter, 
formed  of  warm  reindeer  skins  and   heated  by  one  or 


Intercourse  with  Natives  of  Siberia      393 


p  from 
instant 
sia  uikI 
land  in 
itinents 
men   as 
iie  other 
s   a   St. 
imerica, 
posed  of 
an  mer- 
le whole 
career  at 

isited  by 
It  was  a 
md  their 
to  which 
nmistak- 
failed  to 
|e  beastly 
iv  an   old 
haunch  of 
nning  its 
ilently  to 

Idapted  to 

]of  shins, 

I  is  a  close; 

[n  winter, 

jy  one  or 


more  train-oil  lamps.  In  tliis  box-like  structure  the 
inmates  revel  in  a  temperature  that  makes  their  ahnost 
naked  bodies  reek  witli  [)ei'spiration,  while  the  cold 
without  freezes  mercury. 

In  spite  of  these  characteristics  of  debased  savagery 
and  a  degree  of  iilthiness  which  can  hardly  be  believed, 
as  it  certainly  cannot  be  described,  the  Chukchis  have 
some  admirable  traits.     Wlien  we  read  that  their  vil- 
lages are  absolutely  without  government,  we  are  apt  to 
imagine  that  the  greatest  disorder  prevails.     According 
to  our  habits  of  thought,  anarchy,  or  the  absence  of  law, 
necessarily    means    disorder.       Nothing    of    the    sort! 
Nordenskiold's  testimony    and  that  of  other  travelers, 
both  as  to  the  Chukchis  and  our  Eskimo,  show  these 
poor,  filthy  savages  in  a  light  whicli   may  excite    our 
envy.     The  greatest  unanimity  reigns  in  one  of  their 
little  communities.     There  is  no  selfish  intrusion  upon 
others'  rights.     The  women  are  the  equals  of  the  men, 
not  their  drudges,  as  among  our  Indian  tribes;  and  the 
wife  is  invariably  consulted   before    the   husband  con- 
cludes   any   important   bargain.     The  women   have  to 
work   hard,  because    they  live  hard;  but  they  are  not 
oppressed,    and    the   men's    part   is   equally  lalK)rious. 
Within  the  family  harmony  is  the  rule.     A  hai'd  word 
is    rarely  heard.     Parents   are    tender  in  their  care  of 
their  children.     They  neither  chastise  nor  scold  them. 
The  children  requite  this  treatment  with  dutiful  affec- 
tion.    Their  behavior  in  their  rude  tent-home  is  ecpial 
to  that  of  the  best-reared  European    children  in  their 
parlor.     Quarreling  is  unheard   of.     Consideration  for 
one  another  is  the  rule.     A  bit  of  sugar  given  to  one 


'  I 


394 


The  World's  Discoverers 


child  in  a  group  passes  from  mouth  to  mouth  until  every 
one  has  had  a  taste.  Children  hasten  to  offer  their 
2)arents  a  share  of  any  dainty  they  may  have  ohtained. 
Good-nature  is  not  confined  within  the  family-circle. 
Tiie  prevailing  temper  of  each  little  communit}-,  in 
spite  of  occasional  fights  under  the  influence  of  drink,  is 
<m(3  of  kindness.  Hospitality  is  universal  and  un- 
bounded. Of  course,  there  could  not  be  any  quarrel- 
ing about  mon(;y  among  a  people  who  do  not  use  it, 
nor  about  land  where  the  earth  is  covered  for  nine 
months  with  ice  and  snow.  Building-sites  are  a  drug 
where  people  live  in  skin-tents  and  shift  them  about 
at  pleasure.  The  one  valuable  industry  among  these 
l)eople  is  seal-fishing.  It  gives  them  food,  clothing, 
and  fuel.  They  might  easily  quarrel  among  them- 
selves, if  they  were  so  disposed,  for  the  best  locations 
for  carrying  this  on.  But  it  is  said  that  they  arrange 
this  matter  also  according  to  certain  rules  which  every 
one  freely  respects. 

SiT'i'.h  a  spectacle  of  harmony  is  something  to  be 
noted  with  ei.vy.  It  may  raise  the  question  whether 
we  do  not  pay  too  dearly  for  our  material  possessions, 
when  they  plunge  us  into  fierce  rivalries  and  bitter 
strifes,  and  when  tliey  cost  us  that  inward  peace  which 
is  tlie  highest  good,  and  that  outward  peace  of  which 
even  filthy  savages  set  us  the  example.  • 

These  Chukchis  have  very  much  in  common  with  the 
Eskimo.  They  share  the  same  artistic  gift  which 
enables  them,  in  clumsy  drawings  or  rude  carvings  on 
ivory,  to  hit  off  the  striking  features  of  an  object  witli  a 
certain  truth  to  nature  that  is  the  essence  of  art.     They 


mm 


every 

to  be 
letlier 
issions, 
bitter 
which 
which 

» 

ith  the 
which 
ngs  on 
witli  a 

They 


Intercourse  with  Natives  of  Siberia      395 

are,  moreover,  a  people  of  the  Stone  Age.  Saving  some 
metal  implements  and  weapons  obtained  from  white 
men,  all  that  they  use  they  make  for  themselves  of 
stone  or  bone.  Now,  among  the  relics  which  luive 
been  found  of  the  men  of  the  Stone  Ago  of  Europe,  a 
noticeable  thing  is  the  occurrence  of  bone-carvingti 
sliowing  just  this  kind  of  artistic  gift.  Thus  wo 
have  in  the  rude  Clmkchi  carvings  a  Hide  connecting 
the  present  with  the  dim  past;  and  we  may  study 
the  savages  of  the  European  Stone  Age  in  a  living 
example.  We  have,  then,  almost  a  demonstration 
that  the  Eskimo  and  Chukchis  are  the  descendants 
of  races  which  once  occupied  nearly  all  of  northern 
Europe,  but  have  been  gradually  pushed  further  and 
fnrther  by  other  peoples  crowding  upon  them,  until 
they  have  found  their  last  refuge  in  the  ice-desert  on 
the  shores  of  the  Polar  Sea. 

Within  modern  times,  that  is,  about  1700,  the  Chuk- 
chis were  a  numerous  and  warlike  people,  making  a  des- 
perate stand  against  the  llussians  in  their  conquest  of 
Siberia,  slaying  and  being  slain  by  hundreds.  In  the 
peaceful  savages  of  to-day  we  scarcely  recognize  a  single 
trait  of  the  picture  drawn  by  an  historian  in  1777: 
"They  are  more  savage,  coarse,  proiul,  refractory, 
thievish,  false,  and  revengeful  than  the  neighboring 
nomads.  They  are  as  bad  and  dangerous  as  the  Tun- 
guses  are  friendly."  "Give  a  dog  a  bad  name,"  says 
the  proverb,  "and  you  may  as  well  hang  him."  So  the 
Chukchis  are  in  bad  repute  in  Siberia  to  this  day, 
notwithstanding  the  good  report  of  many  travelers 
and   the   fact  that   Nordenskiiild  was  in  daily  contact 


!     'I 

'    1 

: 
I 


ill 


Z^'^    I' 


.il     1 


4jl! 


396 


The  World's  Discoverers 


with  tliem  a  wIidIc  winter,  without  the  h'iist  ill-feel- 
iii*,^  between  them  and  his  men;  a  hap[iy  result  that 
was  no  doubt  chie  to  his  respeet  for  their  rii^hts,  in 
never  aUowing  any  interference  with  their  seal-tishing. 
UndoubttHlly,  however,  some  of  tlie  wilder  Chukchi 
tribes  still  deserve  the  old  bad  name. 

Those  of  to-day  fall  into  two  classes,  — the  reindeer- 
owning  Chukchis,  who  live  in  the  interior  and  wander 
from  place  to  place,  and  the  coast  Chukchis,  who  have 
no  reindeer,  but  live  by  fishing  and  seal-hunting,  and 
liave  more  or  less  fixed  habitations.  No  doubt  the 
former  more  nearly  represent  the  earlier  condition  of 
the  whole  people. 

A  very  interesting  circumstance  is  that,  as  the  Chuk- 
chis were  themselves  driven  to  the  Polar  Sea,  so  they 
drove  out  a  still  earlier  race,  called  Onkilon.  It  was  a 
strange  experience  for  the  scientists  of  the  "  Vega  "  to 
find  ruins  of  long-deserted  habitations  on  the  shores  of 
the  frozen  ocean,  where,  amid  the  inhospitality  of 
nature,  man  might  be  thought  to  dwell  safe  from  moles- 
tation. The  abodes  of  this  old  race,  which  was  driven 
about  three  hundred  years  ago,  it  is  said,  to  islands  in 
the  Polar  Sea,  differed  wholly  from  those  of  the  Chuk- 
chis. They  were  partly  under  ground.  Some  of  these 
old  sites  were  carefully  excavated  and  examined  by  the 
scientists  of  the  ■'  Vega,"  who  found  in  them  many  stone 
weapons  and  implements,  striking  memorials  of  a  long- 
departed  race.  Strange  to  find  on  the  desolate  shore 
of  the  Polar  Sea,  where  land  is  worthless,  an  illustration 
of  that  passionate  earth-hunger  which,  from  earliest 
times,  has  driven  people  after  people  to  follow  on  one 


li,;  - 
8;    t 


ill-fed- 
iilt  Unit 
ujhts,  in 
-fishing, 
uhukchi 

eindeer- 
waniler 
'ho  have 
ug,  and 
aibt  the 
lition  of 

le  Chuk- 
,  so  they 
It  was  a 
^ega  "  to 
diores  of 
ality   of 
n  moles- 
driven 
ands  in 
le  Chuk- 
of  these 
d  by  the 
ny  stone 
a  long- 
te  shore 
istration 
earliest 
r  on  one 


Intercourse  with  Natives  of  Siberia      397 

another's  heels,  like  ocean  waves  chasing  each  other  to 
the  strand! 

Another  interesting  fact  about  this  portion  of  tlic 
Siberian  coast  was  that  this  was  the  western  limit  of 
Captain  Cook's  explorations.  Just  one  hundred  yeai's 
before  the  "  Vega"  rounded  Cape  Irkaipij,  that  renowned 
navigator,  the  discoverer  of  the  Sandwich  Islands,  hav- 
ing sailed  up  through  Hehring  Strait,  came  in  sight  of 
that  promontory  and  named  it  Cape  North. 

It  was  now  growing  late,  and  the  state  of  the  ice  liad 
become  very  baffling.  Sometimes  the  '"  Vega  "  was  com- 
pelled to  lie  to  for  days  at  a  stretch,  waiting  for  an 
opening.  At  other  times,  thanks  to  her  strong  bow,  she 
pushed  her  way  desperately  tlirough  the  floes,  cutting 
ice  away  with  axes,  even  blasting  it.  But  it  was  all  in 
vain.  The  early  winter  of  that  boreal  clime  was  setting 
in.  Every  niglit  new  ice  formed,  binding  together  the 
old  blocks.  On  the  28th  of  Septend)er  the  "  Vega  "  re- 
signed herself  to  her  fate  of  being  ice-bound  for  the 
winter,  and  that  within  a  short  distance  of  Reining 
Strait,  through  which  slio  had  expected  to  pass  home- 
ward, thus  circumnavigating  Europe  and  Asia  in  one 
season.  This  detention  was  the  cause  of  the  anxiety 
in  Europe  and  America  wh'ch  led  to  the  "  Jeannetce's  " 
being  charged  to  look  out  for  her. 


f! 


398 


The  World's  Discoverers 


CHAPTER  XXXVIT 


f.f      , 


(; 


t 


IN   WINTKIl   QITAUTKUS   ON   THE   Sinp:RIAN   COAST 

Thk  expedition  now  settled  down  to  the  prospect  of 
spending  the  winter  in  tlie  ice.  All  needful  prepjirii- 
tions  were  made  for  the  health,  comfort,  and  convenience 
of  the  crew.  It  is  distinctly  one  of  the  triumphs  of 
nuxlern  science  that,  time  and  again,  explorers,  such 
as  Nansen,  Peary,  and  the  "  Vega "  party,  have  win- 
tered in  the  far  Nortli,  not  merely  without  loss  of  life 
or  serious  illness,  but  even  with  perfect  health  and  a 
certain  degree  of  enjoyment.  Very  diffe-ent  indeed  are 
the  modern  conditions  from  those  which  confronted  the 
early  explorers.  They  fought  their  brave  fight  against 
cruel  cold  and  insidious  disease  unaided  by  experience 
and  unfurnished  with  the  weapons  which  science  puts 
into  the  hands  of  tlie  men  of  to-day.  Now  it  is  under- 
stood to  be  a  question  of  forethought  and  of  hygiene. 
Given  a  properly  built  vessel,  with  appropriate  equip- 
ment, and  due  care  as  to  diet,  clothing,  exercise,  and 
cheerful  mental  conditions,  the  ice-beset  explorers  sit 
in  their  warm,  well-ventilated  cabin,  lighted  by  elec- 
tricity, eat  meats  and  vegetables  as  wholesome  as  if  they 
had  been  provided  fresh  on  that  day,  record  their  scien- 
tific observations,  classify  their  collections,  and  wile 
away  their  leisure  hours  with  games  and  cheerful  talk 
or  reading. 


Winter  Quarters  on  the  Siberian  Coast      399 


We  need  not  describe  in  detail  tlie  winter  on  board 
the  "  Vega."  It  was  such  as  niiglit  have  ])een  ex[>ected, 
under  tlie  given  con- 
ditions. There  was 
ph'uty  of  good,  steady 
work,  with  abun(hince 
of  wholesome  food, 
warm  clothing,  daily 
exercise,  and  cheerful 
spirits,  such  as  naturally 
go  with  health. 

One  dav  was  vdv 
much  like  another.  As 
soon  as  it  was  well  light, 
visitors  would  begin  to 
.'•rrive,  for  the  "Vega" 
"■received"  every  day. 
A  long  string  of  "equi- 
pages "  was  drawn  up 
outside,  the  poor,  half- 
starved  dogs,  from  four 
to  a  dozen  hitched  to 
each  sledge,  curling 
themselves  up  in  the 
snow  while  the  elite  of 
all  the  country  around, 
men  and  women,  cli  mbed 
the  ice-stairs  and 
swarmed  on  the  deck,  under  the  awning,  with  their 
articles  for  barter,  such  as  bones  of  whales,  fresh  cod, 
driftwood,  weapons,  clothing,  implements  of  the  chase, 


WINTER  DRESS 


i 


M' 


400 


The  World's  Discoverers 


5 
j  i 


j)iec('M  of  rciiKlcor  inciit,  ocrasionally  ji  han\  inoro  tlum 
onco  a  fox  wliirli,  l»y  cutting  ofT  lu'iul  and  I'cct,  tlioy 
H()n<(lit  to  palm  off  as  a  hare.  A  I'liriouH  trait  about 
tlu'.se  j)(M)[il('  is  tliat  tlicy  liavo  no  more  conscience  in  a 
tra(l(!  than  it"  they  wei'((  so  many  liorse- jockeys,  whereas 
tliey  will  not  steal.  The  "Vc^m"  ptit  ashore  a  lai',i,'e 
(quantity  of  provisions,  arms,  clothing;,  spirits,  and  so  on, 
so  that,  in  the  event  of  her  bein<^'  suddeidy  nij)ped  in 
the  ice,  there  would  he  a  reserve.  'I'hcse  ^oods  were 
simply  piled  and  covered  with  a  tar[»aulin,  without  any 
watch  over  them.  Yet,  though  there  was  around  a  pop- 
ulation many  of  whom  were  literally  on  the  verge  of 
starvation,  and  this  heap  of  stores  meant  to  the  poor 
savages  wealth  beyond  the  dreauis  of  avarice,  not  a 
single  article  was  taken.  Could  that  experience  be 
duplicated  in  a  civilized  connnunity?  This  fact  was 
the  more  noteworthy  because  they  proved  exceedingly 
importunate  begga:'s,  and  commonly  the  lack  of 
respect  which  makes  l)eggars  breeds  thieves. 

The  visitors  were  rarely  allowed  to  go  l)elow.  The 
odor  of  a  ('hukchi  in  a  conlined  sjiace  is  something  which 
lingers  persistently  and  necessitates  strong  fumigation. 
Bodies  which  are  never  waslied  in  a  lifetime,  —  even 
the  face  gets  only  the  cleansing  of  occasional  exposure 
to  diiving  snow,  — clad  in  skins  tanned  by  a  peculiarly 
disgusting  method,  generate  smells  to  which,  hap[)ily, 
civilization  does  not  afford  any  parallel.  But  on  deck 
they  had  a  thoroughly  good  time.  They  watched  with 
wonder  the  glowing  forge  where  the  smith  wrought  the 
red-hot  iron.  Then,  happiest  incident  of  all,  came  the 
huge  cans  of  hot  soup  which  were  freely  dispensed  every 


Winter  Quarters  on  the  Siberian  Coast      401 

(liiy.  How  tlioy  cr<)w<le(l  urouiid  iiiid  plmij^'cd  in  Ihcir 
()1<1  pots,  tin  runs,  oi-  wluit'-vcr  would  hold  tin;  most! 
KvtMi  the  frowzy,  hiilf-fiiniishcd  do<^'s  curled  U[)  in  tho 
snow  were  not  overlooked.  Miiny  a  meal  of  pemmiean 
they  owed  to  the  hountv  of  the  "  Vi-yii."  Yet,  such  is 
the  state  of  lialf-stiirviit ion  in  which  these  peo|)le  hid)itu- 
ally  live  in  winter,  in  s[iit(!  of  this  charity  and  tlu;  oppor- 
tunity which  they  enjoyed  of  hartering  easily  ohtained 
triHes  for  food,  there  were;  families  that  stru(dv  tents  in 
the  de[)th  of  winter  and  moved  away  to  other  locations 
where  tho  fishinj^  was  better,  because  they  w(;re  almost 
perish ino'.  Indeed,  the  whole  comnnuiity  showed  the 
wasting  effect  of  the  cold  in  their  thinner  faces.  Like 
all  savages,  they  gorges  themselves  when  food  is  abun- 
dant, taking  little  thought  f()r  the  inorrow.  A  family  of 
eight  persons,  including  a  child,  has  Iuhmi  known  to 
consume  thirty  ]»ounds  of  food,  chielly  seal  ilesh  and 
blubber,  at  a  siugU?  sitting.  'IMieu  come  jjcriods  of  want, 
wbeu  they  gladly  eat  sucli  offal  as  a  well-bred  dog  would 
turn  up  his  nose  at. 

One  article  that  a  Chukchi  will  not  sell  for  anything, 
even  for  spirits,  is  the  little  charm  or  anndet,  most 
commonly  a  bit  of  forked  stick  or  rudely  carved  piece 
of  bone,  which  he  is  sure  to  have  somewhere  about  his 
person.  His  belief  that  this  can  save  him  from  harm 
and  give  him  good  luck,  is  part  of  his  religion, —  indeed, 
one  may  say,  his  only  religion.  The  ''  Vvga  "  l)arty  did 
not  see  any  shamans  among  the  Chukchis  whom  tliey 
met.  These  men  are,  however,  generally  described  by 
travelers  as  having  almost  unbounded  influence,  on 
account  of  their  alleged  intercourse  with  spirits.     They 

26 


:    J 


'i 


1 1 


yy 


402 


The  World's  Discoverers 


If 
11 


m 


" 


correspond  to  the  rain-makers  among  Africans  and 
medicine-men  among  our  Indians,  and,  like  them,  use 
their  supposed  supernatural  powers  to  terrify  their 
fellowmcn.  Baron  von  Wrangel,  an  exellent  authority, 
states  that  in  1814  a  severe  epidemic  broke  out  among 
the  Chukchis  und  their  reindeer  at  Anjui.  The 
shamans  declared  that,  in  order  to  appease  tlie  angry 
spirits,  Kotschen,  one  of  the  most  esteemed  men  of  the 
tribe,  who  perhaps  haa  jffended  these  cunning  sorcerers, 
must  be  sacrificed.  He  was  so  much  respected  that  no 
one  could  be  found  to  execute  the  sentence.  Then, 
when  the  disease  continued  to  rage,  Kotschen  himself 
ordered  his  son  to  do  it;  and  the  latter  was  compelled 
to  stab  his  own  father  to  death  and  give  up  his  body  to 
the  shamans  as  an  offering  to  the  demons. 

This  horrible  story  miglit  be  doubted,  if  it  did  not 
agree  with  the  report  which  many  travelers  have  made 
of  a  custom  said  to  prevail  among  those  people.  When 
a  man  grows  very  old  and  no  longer  able  to  hunt  or  fish, 
a  mere  consumer  of  food,  a  family  council  is  held,  and 
it  is  determined  to  put  him  out  of  the  way.  The  in- 
tended victim  himself  cheerfully  acquiesces  in  the  plan 
and  takes  part  in  the  preparations.  There  is  a  sort  of 
feast,  which  he  enjoys  as  much  as  any  one.  Then,  in 
the  presence  of  the  assembled  family,  some  near  relative, 
commonly  a  son,  chokes  him  to  death.  Since  we  have 
the  testimony  of  the  "  Vega  "  party  as  to  the  commend- 
able traits  which  they  observed  among  those  with 
whom  they  came  in  contact,  it  is  fair  to  hear  what  others 
have  related  as  to  some  at  least  of  the  wilder  tribes. 


Through  Behring  Strait  to  Cipango     403 


IS   and 
!m,  use 
\f   their 
thority, 
among 
The 
3  angry 
1  of  the 
ircerers, 
that  no 
Then, 
himself 
impelled 
body  to 

did  not 
,ve  made 
When 
t  or  fish, 
eld,  and 
The  in- 
the  plan 
a  sort  of 
Then,  in 
relative, 
we  have 
jmmend- 
|3se   with 
it  others 
ibes. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII 

THROUGH   BEHRING   STRAIT  TO  CIPANGO 

Thk  expedition  had  an  opportunity  of  witnessing  at 
least  one  of  the  peculiar  customs  of  the  Chukchis.  One 
day  Johnsen,  the  Imnter,  came  in  much  excited  and  re- 
ported that  lie  had  found  the  body  of  a  murdered  man 
on  the  tundra.  On  investigation,  it  proved  that  the 
corpse  was  that  of  a  man  who  had  died  naturally.  Near 
him  lay  the  implements  which  he  had  used.  This  was 
the  usual  way  of  disposing  of  the  dead,  — probably  the 
only  possible  one  where  they  can  neither  be  buried  nor 
burned.  Wolves,  ravens,  and  foxes  soon  devour  the 
flesh  3,nd  scatter  the  bones.  The  ground  in  tlie  neigh- 
boiiiood  of  a  permanent  village  becomes  strewn  with 
these  ghastly  reminders  of  our  common  mortality.    ' 

The  only  article  suggestive  of  the  mysteries  of  Sha- 
manism which  the  "Vega"  party  saw  was  the  drum, 
(>r  tambourine,  common  among  all  the  Polar  peoples. 
One  is  found  in  every  Chukchi  tent.  Tliat  it  is  com- 
monly associated  with  some  superstition  was  evident 
from  the  haste  of  the  possessors  to  hide  it,  if  time 
allowed,  before  the  entrance  of  strangers  and  their  un- 
willingness to  part  with  it.  Besides  its  employment  in 
the  mysterious  rites  of  sorcery  and  its  use  as  an  ordinary 
musical  instrument,  in  which  it  accompanies  the  voice 
in  a  monotonous  chant,  it  has  anotlier  utility  which  I 


il 


i  i 


# 


.     i    I 


I 


404 


The  World's  Discoverers 


cannot  describo  so  well  as  in  the  language  of  tlie  Pro- 
fessor: "  When  the  ladies  unravel  and  comb  their  long 
black  hair,  this  is  done  carefully  over  the  drum,  on 
whose  bottom  the  numerous  l)eings  which  the  comb 
brings  with  it  from  the  warm  hearth  of  home  out  into 
the  cold,  wide  world,  are  collected  and  cracked,  —  in 
case  they  are  not  eaten  up." 

The  use  of  tobacco  is  common  not  only  among  men 
and  women,  but  children.  A  child  not  yet  weaned,  but 
able  to  walk,  has  been  seen  to  chew  and  smoke  and  to 
drink  rum. 

Sometimes  quite  extensive  excursions  were  made  in- 
land, and  the  habits  of  the  reindeer  or  nomad  Chukchis 
were  observed.  Here  is  a  pretty  picture:  "When  we 
came  out  of  the  tent  in  the  early  morning,  we  saw  all 
the  reindeer  advancing  in  a  compact  troop.  At  the  head 
was  an  old  reindeer  with  large  horns,  that  went  forward 
to  his  master,  who  had  in  the  mean  time  gone  to  meet 
the  herd,  and  bade  him  good  morning  by  gently  rubbing 
his  nose  against  his  master's  hands.  While  this  was 
going  on,  the  other  reindeer  stood  drawn  up  in  wcdl- 
ordered  ranks,  like  the  crew  in  divisions  on  board  a 
man-of-war.  The  owner  then  went  forward  and  saluted 
every  reindeer;  they  were  allowed  to  stroke  his  hands 
with  their  noses.  He,  on  his  part,  took  every  reindeer 
by  his  horn  and  examined  it  in  the  most  careful  way. 
After  the  inspection  was  ended,  at  a  sign  given  by  the 
master,  the  whole  herd  wheeled  round  and  returned  in 
closud  ranks,  with  the  old  reindeer  in  front,  to  the  pre- 
vious day's  pasture.  The  whole  scene  made  a  very 
favorable  imj)r('Ssion  on  us.     It  showed  the  good  master 


Through  Behring  Strait  to  Cipango     405 

troiiting  his  inferiors  kindly  iuid  having  a  friendly  word 
for  ea(;h  of  them." 

One  cannot  hut  wonder  how  any  life  can  maintain 
itself  amid  so  intense  cold  as  that  of  northern  Siheria 
and  in  a  region  where  for  nine  months  the  ground  is 
covered  with  ice  and  snow.  Yet  some  animals  are  found 
in  considerahle  numhers.  Strange  to  say,  the  favorite 
haunt  of  hares  is  the  immediate  neighhorhood  of  a 
Chukchi  village.  The  offal  thrown  out  there  induces  a 
heavier  growth  of  vegetation,  wliich,  though  concealed 
hy  snow,  they  know  how  to  find.  Undeterred  l)y  fear 
of  the  half-famished  dogs,  Bunny  is  wont  to  come  in  the 
winter  nights,  stealing  amid  the  tents  and  hurrowing  in 
the  snow  for  a  meal.  The  Pola  '  hare  is  very  large  and 
is  delicious  eating.  ^Farmots,  too,  were  found  ahun- 
dant,  hesides,  of  course,  flesh-eating  animals,  such  as 
wolves,  foxes,  weasels,  and  land  hears,  the  latter  to  be 
distinguished  from  the  Polar  bear. 

A  circumstance  of  very  great  interest  Avas  the  traffic 
carried  on  throughout  the  winter  alonn-  the  coast.  'I'he 
sledge-parties  invariably  stop})ed  at  t...  "Vega,"  which 
was,  as  the  author  humorously  expressc;  .t,  "tlie  only 
house  of  entertainment  on  the  coast  of  the  Asiatic  Polar 
Sea."  Thus  there  was  a  good  opportunity  of  observing 
the  nature  of  this  traffic.  The  sledges  were  in  trains, 
each  vehicle  drawn  l)y  eight  to  ten  dogs.  When  going 
eastward  to  Behring  Strait,  they  were  laden  with  rein- 
deer skins.  Returning,  they  were  freighted  with  the 
goods  received  in  exchange,  which  invariably  included 
some  kind  of  s[)irits.  Sometimes  these  sledge-pai'ties 
are  overtaken  by  such  fearful  blizzards  as  even  a  Chuk- 


I 


If 


,1     i 


. ;  Ml 


406 


The  World's  Discoverers 


chi  dog  can  hardly  endure.  One  day,  after  a  fearful 
storm,  a  native  who  had  lost  his  way  came  on  hoard, 
carrying  a  dog,  frozen  stiff,  hj  uie  tail.  He  and  the 
poor  heast  had  gone  astray  on  the  ice  and  had  lain  out, 
without  eating  anything,  all  the  night.  The  naster  was 
all  right,  except  that  he  was  very  hungry;  hut  the  dog 
scarcely  showed  a  sign  of  life.  Yet,  after  being  sub- 
jected to  careful  massage  for  houre,  it  actually  recovered. 

The  Chukchi  dogs  are  similar  to  the  Eskimo  dogs  of 
Greenland,  but  smaller.  They  resemble  wolves  and 
are  long-legged,  long-haired,  and  shaggy.  They  illus- 
trate in  a  veiy  curious  way  the  influence  of  habit  in 
the  evolution  of  a  breed.  Having  been  used  for  genera- 
tions wholly  as  draught  animals  and  not  as  watch-dogs, 
they  have  either  lost  or  have  never  possessed  the  power 
of  barking.  Even  a  European  may  enter  the  master's 
tent  without  the  slightest  alarm  from  one  of  them.  In 
other  words,  they  have  lost  much  of  their  dog  nature 
in  becoming  draught  animals.  They  are  as  dirty  and  as 
peaceable  as  their  owners.  There  are  no  fights  between 
teams  belonging  to  the  same  village,  rarely  even  with 
strange  dogs.  In  Europe  dogs  are  the  friends  of  their 
masters  and  the  enemies  of  each  other;  Chukchi  dogs 
are  the  fiiends  of  each  other  and  their  master's  patient 
slaves,  broken  to  harness  so  soon  as  they  aro  a  few 
months  old,  often  getting  very  little  food  for  weeks  at  a 
time,  yet  never  going  off  hunting  on  their  own  account, 
so  that  hares  and  ptarmigan  come  with  impunity  about 
the  tents. 

Fearfully  and  wonderfully  made  are  these  Chukchis, 
the  Bedouins  of  Siberia,  as  they  have  been  called.     They 


Through  Behring  Strait  to  Cipango     407 

set  at  defiance  every  law  of  nature.  They  never  by 
any  chance  wash  themselves.  Their  filthiness  passes 
all  possibility  of  description.  They  eat  offal  and  putrid 
ilesh,  live  in  a  perpetual  alternation  between  gorging 
and  starving,  sleep  in  an  atmosphere  so  close  and  so  vile 
that  it  would  asphyxiate  a  decent  dog,  and  withal  they 
are  a  hardy,  robust  race,  averaging  several  inches  more 
in  height  than  the  Eskimo,  with  women  who  are  dis- 
tinctly good-looking  and  would  be  attractive,  but  for  the 
horrible  smell  which  accompanies  them. 

With  journeys  among  these  people,  with  scientific 
observations,  with  reading,  games,  lectures,  and  musical 
entertainments,  the  long  Polar  winter  passed  not  dis- 
agreeably. At  last,  long  before  the  ground  becanie  clear 
of  snow,  the  first  harbingers  of  spring  appeared,  in  large 
flocks  of  geese,  eider-ducks,  gulls,  and  the  like.  About 
the  middle  of  June  great  clouds  of  small  birds,  of  the 
Sylvia  family,  settled  on  the  only  dark  spot  in  the  wil- 
derness of  white,  the  deck  of  the  "Vega."  The  poor 
little  travelers,  exhausted  by  their  long  flight,  were 
allowed  to  rest  undisturbed. 

Suddenly,  on  the  ISth  of  July,  the  vessel  was  observed 
to  move  slightly.  The  captain  rushed  on  deck.  Tlie  ice 
./as  in  motion  I  p]  very  thing  had  long  been  in  readiness 
for  this  joyful  hour  of  release.  The  fires  were  quickly 
lighted.  Soon  the  engines  were  throbbing,  and  the 
"Vega,"  gay  with  bunting,  moved  out  under  steam  and 
sail  from  the  berth  where  she  had  been  imprisoned  ten 
months.  On  a  neighboring  height  the  Chukchis  were 
assembled,  viewing  disconsolately  the  departure  of  the 
friends  whose  presence  had  been  so  marked  an  event  in 


I 


4o8 


The  World's  Discoverers 


their  lives  and  ao  great  a  boon.  Tlie  representatives  of 
tlie  snperior  race  were  not  without  feelings  of  sadness. 
Nearly  a  year  they  had  lived  in  almost  daily  contact 
with  these  poor,  debased  creatures.  Treating  them 
kindly,  they  had  drawn  out  the  best  qualities  of  their 
natures.  There  had  never  been  the  slightest  friction. 
And  now  they  would  have  been  something  less  than 
human,  if  they  could  have  left  them  to  their  brutish 
existence,   with  its  everlasting  struggle  with  cold  and 


NOTH  AND  HIS  WIFE 

hunger  and  its  occasional  joys,  only  a  degree  removed 
from  those  of  beasts,  without  some  touch  of  regret. 

The  next  day  the  "  Vega  "  passed  Cape  Serdze  Kamen. 
The  sea  about  this  famous  promontory  swarmed  with 
life.  Here  and  there  were  walrus.  Seals  swam  about 
in  great  numbers,  and  vast  flocks  of  birds,  whose 
breeding-place  was  in  the  steep  clift's,  swarmed  around 
the  vessel. 


^  1 


.■v\.- 


inioved 

)t. 

Ivamen. 

[d  with 
iiboiit 
whose 

Itiround 


Through  Behring  Strait  to  Cipango     409 

The  castei'iiinost  [jromoiitoiy  of  Asia,  J'^ast  Ca[K',  was 
next  seen.  An  hour  hiter,  steaming  from  the  Polar  Sea 
into  the  Pacilie,  tlie  "  Vega  "  flung  out  all  her  flags  and 
greeted  the  two  worlds,  one  on  either  hand,  with  the 
roar  of  a  Swedish  salute.  The  dream  of  mon^  than  thrci^ 
centuries  was  realized.  The  Northeast  I'assage  was 
achieved  I 

Standing  on  the  deck  of  the  "Vega,"  the  ex[)lorers 
might  easily  have  imagined  tlu^  shades  of  a  liost  of 
brave  men  of  the  olden  time  ai)plauding  their  perform- 
ance. A  thousand  years  hiid  passed  since  Othei-e's 
adventurous  voyage  to  the  northeast.  Sons  of  the  same 
hardy  Norse  race  had  at  last  accomplished  that  after 
which  lie  had  blindly  groped.  This  result  had  been 
attained  without  the  loss  of  a  single  life,  without  any 
serious  sickness,  and  without  the  slightest  damage  to 
the  vessel.  What  a  contrast  with  the  ci-ut!l  sufferings 
of  the  old  explorers!  And  what  a  tribute  to  the  worth 
of  science  I 

We  shall  not  follow  the  "  Vega  "  further,  nor  attempt 
to  tell  even  briefly  of  the  interesting  things  which  were 
seen  and  recorded.  After  passing  the  Strait,  she 
touched  both  on  the  Asiatic  and  Amei'ican  sidcj^  On 
the  way  she  visited  the  famous  "  rookeries  "  Oc  the  fur- 
seal,  and,  in  passing  Behring  Island,  investigated  the 
remains  of  that  singular  animal,  the  sea-cow,  which 
has  become  extinct  within  the  memory  of  living  men. 

On  September  2  she  arrived  at  Yokohama.  Cipango 
had  been  reached  by  the  northeast!  That  route  had 
long  since  ceased  to  have  any  connncrcial  value,  lint 
the  great  explorer  and  his  worthy  companions  received 


'1 


4IO 


The  World's  Discoverers 


everywhere  the  commendation  due  to  those  who  had 
actualized  the  old  dream  of  Cathay.  Governments  and 
cities  vied  with  each  other  in  showering  honors  on  those 
who  had  achieved  one  of  the  peaceful  triumphs  of  civili- 
zation. Wherever  they  touched  on  their  homeward 
way,  passing  through  the  Suez  Canal  and  thus  com- 
pleting the  circumnavigation  of  Asia,  their  coming  was 
hailed  with  joyful  acclamations. 


ll 


*  i 


INDEX 


AI>Kr>ANTADO,  title,    meaning 
Governor,     of     IJartlioloniew 
Columbus,  or). 
A^aiado,  an  ofHcer  sent  out  by  Spain 
to  inciuiro  into  Columbus's  gov- 
ernment of  Ilispaniola,  (;<). 
Albutjuerque,  Alfonso  d',  a  Portu- 
guese viceroy  of  India,   119. 
Aienquer,  Pero  d',  the  pilot  who 

sailed  with  V^asco  da  Gama,  95. 
Almeida,  FrancLsco  d',  a  Portuguese 

viceroy  of  India,  119. 
Anian,  an  imaginary  strait  supposed 
to  be  at  the  western  end  of  the 
so-called  Frobislior  Strait.    Drake 
sought  it,  in  tlie  hope  of  pa.ssing 
tlirough  it  from  the  Pacific  to  the 
Atlantic,  2GG. 
Antilla,  a  legendary  island  in  the 
Atlantic  Ocean  from  which  the 
Antilles  are  called,  21. 
Atlantic    Ocean,   early  called    the 
Sea  of  Darkness,  gets  its  modern 
name  from  the  legendary  great 
ishmd   of   Atlantis,  reported    to 
iiave  lain  opposite  tlie  Strait  of 
Gibraltar  and  to  have  sunk  in 
the  ocean,  20, 

BARENTZ,    William,  sails   from 

Amsterdam    in    search    of    a 

northeast  passage  to  China,  273  ; 

winter-bound  on  Nova  Zembla, 

281;     fearfully    trying    experi- 


ences during  the  winter,  285-299, 
leaves  his  sliip  fast  in  the  ice  and 
starts  for  home  in  open  boats,  .301 ; 
dies  on  the  way,  304  ;  relics  of  his 
party's  staj'  in  Nova  Zembla  found 
after  274  y<)ars,  320. 
Behaim,   Martin,  a  scientific  Ger- 
man, contemporary  with  Colum- 
bus, wlio   made   instruments  for 
navigation,  30  ;  his  famous  globe 
pictured,  31,  32. 
Bobadilla,  Francisco,  governor  sent 
by  Spain  to  supersede  Columbus 
at  Ilispaniola,  75. 
Brandan,  a  legendary  island  in  the 

Atlantic,  21. 
Brasil,  a  legendary  island  in  the 
Atlantic,  from  which  Brazil  takes 
its  name,  21. 
Burrough,  Stephen,  sails  in  the 
"  Searclithrift "  to  seek  a  North- 
east passage,  202. 

CABRAL,    discovers     Brazil,    iu 
1500,  120. 

Cape  Chelyuskin,  northernmost 
point  of  Asia,  first  reached  by 
sea  by  Nordenskiold,  381. 

Cape  of  Good  Hope,  discovered,  in 
1487,  by  Bartholomew  Diaz,  who 
called  it  Stormy  Cape,  17  ;  name 
changed  by  King  ,Ioao,  1 7. 

Cathay,  the  northern  provinces  of 
China,  12. 


1  . 


?  'Wv'l 


412 


The  World's  Discoverers 


Chiincelor,  Riflianl,  s.iils  with  Wi!- 
lt)ii,i,'lil>.v,  I'.t";  Cillers  lli(!  White 
Slm  and  ojieiis  coiiiiiiercu  willi 
Itussia,  I'J8;  v'm'M  tlio  C/ar  at 
Moscow,  199;  iiitorestiii^  (loMcrip- 
tioii  of  liussiaa  life,  2U0 ;  is) 
wiTckiMl  anil  drowned  011  the 
coast  of  Sc(.tland,  ^02. 

(■ihao,  mountain  region  in  llispan- 
iuhi  where  Colunihus  hiiilt  a  fort, 
f>;{, 

Cipango,  early  name  for  .Japan,  20; 
described  li\  .Marco  I'olo,  12;  tiie 
goal  of  (/oluiuhns's  voyages,  12, 
20,  etc. 

Colninltus,  Martlioloniew,  hrotiierof 
Christcjphcr,  accompanied  iJar- 
tholomew  Diaz,  and  ]>rolial)ly  en- 
couraged his  hroiher  to  perse\ere 
ill  his  great  design,  17;  sent  hy 
Christopiier  to  solicit  aid  from 
the  King  of  Knj;iand,  24;  meets 
Christopher  in  llispaniola,  05;  is 
appointed  Adeiai'tado,  G(> ;  is  sent 
home  in  irons,  76  ;  sails  with 
Christopher  on  his  last  voyage 
and  docs  valiant  service,  81-90 

Columbus,  Christopher,  early  eir- 
cnmstancps  favorable  to  the 
career  which  he  adopted,  18;  first 
employmont  as  a  weaver,  19 ;  edu- 
cation, 19;  extent  of  his  early 
voyages,  19-20;  learned  from 
ancient  writers  to  believe  in  the 
rouiiilne.s.s  of  tiie  Kartli,  20;  his 
mistake  as  to  the  si/e  of  tiie 
Kartli,  22  ;  residence  in  Portugal, 
2.1 ;  circumstances  whicii  stimu- 
lated his  longing  to  be  an  cx- 
jilorer,  2.'J ;  proposal  to  the  King 
of  Portugal,  and  the  latter's  vil- 
lainous trick,  24  :  unsuccessful 
attempt  to  .secure  aid  from  Henry 
VII.  of  England,  25  ;  ajiplication 
to  Ferdinand  and  Isabella  how 


met,  2.') ;  visit  to  the  convent  of 
La  liabida  and  its  liajtpy  results, 
2t);  projiosals  accepted  by  Ferdi- 
nand and  Isabella,  27.  First 
'".'/".'/'<  't'*  incidents,  28-.'{8  ;  land 
discovered,  .'{8 ;  Culia  discovered, 
40;  Haiti  discovered  and  called 
Ilispaniola,  42  ;  the  "  Santa 
Maria"  wrecked,  4.'l ;  a  fort  built 
atid  garrisoned,  45  ;  Columbus 
sails  on  his  return  voyage,  40 ; 
encounters  frightful  storm,  47- 
49  ;  reaches  Lisbon,  50 ;  has  an 
audience  with  the  Portuguese 
King,  51  ;  reaches  Palos,  51  ;  is 
royally  greeted  by  his  sovereigns, 
5.'3-54.  Second  V<>jj<i<ii',  discovers 
Dominica,  50,  Marigalante,  57, 
Porto  Hico,  58 ;  finds  Navidad 
destroyed,  59 ;  founds  city  of 
Isabella,  61  ;  sends  five  hundred 
Indian  jmsoners  to  Spain,  02,  08 ; 
discovers  Jamaica,  64 ;  exjjlores 
southern  coast  of  Cuba,  64  ;  sails 
back  to  Ilispaniola  and  there  finds 
his  brother  Bartholomew,  65 ;  is 
forced  into  a  native  war,  06 ;  gov- 
ernment of  natives,  69  ;  Aguado 
sent  by  Spain  to  in(]uirc  into 
his  administration,  69 ;  sails  for 
Spain,  70 ;  touches  at  Guadaloupe, 
70;  reaches  Cadiz,  70  ;  goes  with 
Indian  ])risoners  to  court,  70;  is 
received  into  favor  by  his  sov- 
ereigns, 71.  Third  Vai/tu/e,  sails 
with  six  vessels,  7.3  ;  sights  Trini- 
dad and  sails  on  to  the  moutii  of 
the  Orinoco,  74 ;  is  met  by  his 
brother  Bartholomew  and  es- 
corted to  new  city  called  Santo 
Domingo,  74;  is  superseded  by 
Francisco  Bobadilla,  sent  out  by 
Spain,  75 ;  he  and  liis  brother 
sent  to  Spain  iu  irons,  70 ;  his 
couditiou  excites  iudiguatiuu  aud 


Index 


4^3 


pympatliy,  7fi ;  nftor  two  years  !h 
gniiitod  a  fleet  of  two  ships,  80. 
Fonrlh  \'"i/'i;ii',  siiils  May  !),  l.")U2, 
81  ;  wights  iMarliiiiiiuc,  toiicho.-t 
at  Santo  Domin^ro,  81  ;  Hails  to 
Honduras,  82;  la-gins  a  setth'- 
nicnt  at  Vcragua,  where  gold  is 
found  in  al)undanc(>,  84  ;  upris- 
ing,' of  the.  Indians,  84  ;  ciiptnre 
and  sniisciiueut  escape  ofQuiliian, 
tiie  Indian  chief,  85;  oldiged  to 
l)oach  his  vessels  on  tiie  coast  of 
Janiaicu,  87  ;  sends  for  relief  from 
Ovando,  8!t ;  liogniles  the  natives 
into  supplying;  him  v.itli  food,  DO; 
sailft  with  two  vessels  for  S|)ain  ; 
dies  in  Valladolid,  9'J. 
Coustantiuople,  how  its  capture  by 
the  Turks  stimulated  the  desire 
to  find  a  water  route  to  India  and 
China,  16, 

])AVIS,  John,  sails  from  England 
with  two  ships,  224;  second 
voyage,  226  ;  third  voyage,  227. 

Dominica,  one  of  the  West  Indies, 
discovered  by  Columbus  on  his 
second  voyage,  56. 

Drake,  Sir  Francis,  childhood,  239 ; 
ap])renti<'cd  to  a  coaster,  23!) ; 
early  experiences  in  his  career, 
245";  sails  for  the  Pacific,  247  ; 
enters  Port  St.  Julian,  2.54  ; 
reaches  Straits  of  Magellan,  257  ; 
stops  at  Valparaiso,  259  ;  at  Lima, 
263  ;  jjursues  the  "  Cacafuego," 
264 ;  overtakes  her,  265 ;  sails 
for  home  by  way  of  the  Cape  of 
fJood  Hope,  267  ;  adventures 
along  the  way,  268,  269  ;  readies 
England,  270  ;  honored  and 
knighted  by  Elizabeth,  271. 

pALEIRO,  Rny,  fin    astronomer 

and    geographer    with    whom 

Magellan  conceived  the  plan  of 


reaching  the  Spice  Islands  by 
sailing  westward,  122. 

Franklin.  Sir  John,  famous  ex- 
plorer of  the  Northwest,  sails  to 
tind  a  northwest  ])assage,  340  ; 
last  seen  in  Matlin  Hay,  350  ;  first 
traces  of  bis  party  found  by  Dr. 
R.ae,  after  eight  years,  351  ;  their 
tragic  fate  ascertained  four  years 
later,  351-2. 

Frobisher,  Sir  Martin,  sails  for  tlio 
Northwest  Passag<',  209  ;  believes 
himself  to  have  found  it,  211  ;  re- 
tiirns  to  England,  213  ;  second 
expedition  sets  sail,  213;  finds 
plenty  of  "  gold  ore "  on  the 
Labriidor  coast,  214;  sails  for 
home,  218;  third  expedition  .sets 
out,  219;  sails  up  Ilud.sou  Strait, 
220;  the  fleet  reaches  home  with 
seventeen  hundred  tons  of  iron 
pyrites,  the  "  gold  ore,"  222. 

QAM  A,  Paulo  da,  brother  ofVasco, 
who  was  in  charge  of  one  of 
the  hitter's  vessels,  died    on  the 
return  voyage,  116. 

Gama,  Vasco  da,  .sent  out  by  I'ortu- 
gal  in  1497,  93  ;  sails  round  Cape 
of  (Jood  Hope,  98;  sights  Natal 
cm  Christmas  Day,  99;  arrives 
at  Mozambi<pie,  101  ;  ruthless 
treatment  of  natives,  103;  stops 
at  Mombasa,  104 ;  sails  on  to 
Malindi,  105;  .sails  for  Calecut, 
106;  .arrives  at,  107;  has  an 
audience  with  the  king,  109  ;  sets 
sail  for  Portugal,  112;  stops  at 
Anjediva  Islands,  112;  fearful 
exjierienees  in  recrossing  the  In- 
dian Ocean,  112-114;  bis  brother 
Paulo  dies,  116;  triumphant  ar- 
rival at  Lisbon,  116. 

(Jenoa,  with  Venice  controlled   ♦ 
trade  of  the  Mediterranean,  18; 


m.nr 


414 


The  World's  Discoverers 


ii*' 


rivalry  lictwcoii  tlio  two  citioH, 
18;  liirtlipliic*'  of  Coluiiilms,  l«; 
liovv  licr  Hituiilioii  iifccsHarily 
inailo  her  a  coiiiiiicrciiil  lily,  18. 

fiillKTt,  Sir  nuMi|)lir('y,  oxjii'ditioii 
uiiiU'r,  2()f) ;  (U'litli  of,  l>0«. 

(iiiii('iiiiii;;iiri,  an  Inilian  oaci(|uo 
who  liospitalily  ontcrtaincd  Co- 
hinihus  and  was  a  Htauncli  friend 
uf  tlio  Spaniards,  44  and  saj. 

HUDSON,  Ilonry,  liigh  rank  as 
an  oxploror, 'J21  ;  not  a  Diitcli- 
niaii,  .'J2I  ;  un.HUccfssfully  tries 
viirioiiH  routes  to  Asia  hy  the 
nnrt  hcast,  .'<22-;J27  ;  sails  to  North 
America  to  try  a  passaj^o  sii;;- 
ttested  by  Captain  John  Sniitli, 
HJH;  reaches  Penol)S(ot  Bay,'{2'.>; 
Cape  (,'od,  :v,\0;  the  Virginia 
const,  n.-JO;  Delaware  Bay,  3.30; 
enters  New  York  May,  331  ;  as- 
cends and  explfjres  Hudson  Hiver, 
.■)32-334  ;  returns  to  Knj^land, 
334;  splendid  results  of  this  voy- 
a;i;e,  335;  sails  in  searcii  of  a 
northwest  ])assaj;;e,  330;  explores 
Hudson  Ray,  338  ;  hitter  experi- 
ences wiiile  frozen  in,  339,  340; 
is  set  adrift  in  an  optMi  boat  hy 
mutineers  and  forever  disuppears, 
340,341  ;  tribute  to  him  by  Dr. 
John  Fiske,  344. 

ISABELLA,   city    in    Ilispaniola 
founded  by  Columbus,  Gl. 

JACKMAN,  Charles,  snils  with 
Arthur  I'et  to  seek  a  northeast 
route  to  Cathay,  203. 

Jamaica,  one  of  the  W'>st  Imlies, 
discovered  by  Columbus  on  liis 
second  voyaj^e,  04 ;  beached  his 
vessels  on  the  coast,  87. 


XIIAN,  The  Grand,  the  title  by 
which  Europeans  in  Colum- 
bus's time  spoke  of  tlu;  emperor 
(){  China;  Columbus  on  his  first 
voyaRo  bore  a  letter  .iddressed  to 
him  by  Eerdimuid  and  Isahella, 
'2'J. 

Kubla  Khan,  a  famous  emperor  of 
('hina,  in  the  time  of  Marco 
I'olo,  0;  re(iuests  the  I'opo  to 
send  men  to  leach  his  people  the 
arts  and  religion  of  l-iurope,  C; 
much  interested  in  Mjirco  I'olo 
and  employs  him  in  the  public 
service,  7  ;  sends  him  on  an  em- 
bassy to  Persia,  7-8 ;  grandeur 
of  his  em]>ire  and  magniiiccuce 
of  his  capital,  10-11. 

LADRONES,   first   inhabited    isl- 
amls  reac!ied  by  Magellan,  1.53. 

Las  Casas,  a  tn^ncvolent  Spanish 
bislioj),  proposes  tli.-it  natives  be 
brought  from  Africa  to  relievo 
the  Indians  of  their  severe  tasks, 
02. 

Lena  Delta,  scene  of  the  tragic  fate 
of  Lieutenant  De  Long  and  th< 
most  of  his  men,  383  ;  j»,assed  by 
Nordenskiiild,  383. 

Lusiad,  The,  a  famous  epic  poem 
written  by  Camoens,  telling  of 
the  expedition  and  relating  the 
.adventures  of  Vasco  da  Gama, 
94. 

jyjcCLTTRE,  Captain,  .sails  in  quest 
of  northwest  pa.ssage  through 
Behring  Strait,  352  ;  varied  ex- 
experiences,  352-.'i.59  ;  a  north- 
west passage  discovered,  35'J  ;  his 
shij)  lost  in  the  ice,  but  his  crew 
successfully  brought  in  sledges 
through  the  passage  to  the  At- 
lantic, 359-362;  honored  as  the 


Index 


415 


title  by 
Coluni- 
L'lripcror 
liirt  first 
rpsHcul  to 
Isiil)flla, 

licror  (if 
■  Mario 
rujie  to 
>()j)le  tho 
imiK',  fi ; 
rio  I'dIo 
le  ])ulilic 

II    ilU  (Mil- 

pfriuidfiir 
rnificcnco 


lilted  isl- 
'llaii,  l.VJ. 
Spanish 
lativi's  bo 
0  relievo 
ere  tasks, 

ragie  fate 

ami  tli'^ 

tassecl  by 

)i(*  poem 
t'lliiif^  of 
atiiiR  the 
la  Gaina, 


in  quest 
(  tlin)Ujj;h 
aried  ex- 
a  iiorth- 
,  S")!) ;  his 
t  his  erew 
n  slcdpos 
0  the  At- 
•ed  as  tlie 


dismvercr  of  tho  Northwcit  Pa»- 

Ma^elluii,  Ferdinand,  his  birth, 
I  r.t ;  serves  as  a  paf?e  at  court, 
120;  sails  for  India  with  Al- 
meida, 121  ;  tights  tlie  Moors,  122; 
(  hanges  his  name  frt  -n  tins  I'ortu- 
guesu  to  the  S|ianish  form  and 
renounces  his  ailej;ianee,  125, 
lays  his  |i]an  heforo  the  Spanish 
kinj;,  Charles  \^,  125;  sent  out 
by  Spain  witii  a  fleet  of  five 
8hi|»s,  128,  12'.»;  diffieulties  of  the 
voyage,  132,  l.'J.T;  drops  anchor 
at  I'ort  St.  Julian,  I'J.'J,  mutiny 
on  board,  135;  strait  discovered, 
146;  desertion  of  the  San  An- 
tonio, 150;  reaches  the  Pacific, 
152,  discovery  of  tho  I.adrones, 
1.56  ;  of  the  l'liili|tpincs,  157  ;  is 
killed  in  a  war  with  the  natives 
of  Mactan,  164;  after  many  ad- 
ventures ono  vessel  of  his  fleet 
finds  its  way  back  to  Sjiain,  com- 
pleting the  first  circumnavigation 
of  the  globe,  172-176. 

Mangi,  ♦^ho  southern  provinces  of 
China,  12. 

Marchena,  Juan  Perez  de,  Prior  of 
the  convent  of  f-a  Haliida,  who 
encouraged  Columbus,  took  up 
his  causo,  pleaded  with  (^iieen 
Isabella,  and  at  last  gained  her 
consent,  26. 

Marco  Polo,  birth,  5 ;  travels  in 
Asia,  6-8 ;  returns  to  Venice,  s  ; 
relates  his  adventures  to  a  fellow- 
prisoner,  8  ;  8oin(!  of  the  particu- 
lars in  which  his  stati  nient-'  iii(> 
confirmed  by  modern  research, 
8-10;  wide  influence  of  his  work, 
3-4  ;  Columbus  studied  him  dili- 
gently, 12. 

Margarite,  captain  left  by  Colum- 
bus in  command  at  Cibao,  63  ;  is 


rclieveil  by  Ojeda,  seizes  caravels 
of  Hartholomew,  and  sails  for 
Spain,  tin. 

Marigalaiito.onoof  tho  West  Indies, 
discovered  by  Cidiimiiiis  on  his 
second  voyage,  57. 

MartiMi(iue,  one  of  the  West  India 
islands  discovered  by  (,'oluiubus 
on  his  fourth  voyage,  81. 

Maundcville,  .sjr  .loiin,  travels  in 
the  Kast,  12;  immense  po|iular- 
ity  of  his  book,  12;  it  was  read 
by  Columbus,  13;  .soino  of  tho 
wonders  he  relates,  l'.>2. 

Mendez,  I)ie>;o,  a  brave  and  staunch 
oflicer  of  Columbus  on  his  fourth 
voyage,  84,  86,  88,  92. 

\AVll)AI),tlie  fort  which  Colum- 
bus  bnilt  on  Ilispaniola,  45; 
story  of  its  destruction,  60. 

Nordenskiidd,  Prof.  Adolph  Eric, 
sails  to  discover  a  northeast  jias- 
sage  to  the  Indies,  .$64 ;  discrip- 
tion  of  the  coasts  visited  and  of 
the  peoples  and  animals  inhabit- 
ing them,  364-381  ;  the  northern- 
most point  of  Asia  pa.s.sed,  382  ; 
off  the  lA'na  Delta,  383  ;  descrip- 
*' j\i  of  the  Siberian  tundra,  384- 
387  ;  visited  by  Chukcliis.  388  ; 
their  characteristics,  ;iHH-3!)6 ; 
frozen  in,  397 ;  how  the  time 
was  sjK'iit  in  winter-quarters,  398- 
402  ;  free  from  the  ice,  407  ;  tho 
Northeast  Passage  .achieved,  409  ; 
circumnavigation  of  Kuropc  and 
Asia  completed,  410. 

Q.IEDA,  a  valiant  Spanish  captain, 
61  ;    captures    and    takes   tho 

Indian  chief  Caon.abo  to  Isabella, 

07. 
Othere,  Norso   explorer,  visits  tho 

court  of  Alfreil  the  (Jreat,  189; 

his  explorations,  190, 


4i6 


The  World's  Discoverers 


Ovaiulo,  governor  who  succeeded 
Bohiidillaat  Hi.spaniola,  76;  after 
eiglit  mouths'  dehiy  sends  relief 
to  Columbus  at  Jamaica,  89. 

pET,  Arthur,  sails  with  Charles 
Jiickman  to  seek  a  northeast 
route  to  Cathay,  203. 

riuzon,  Martin  Almizo ;  Com- 
mander of  tlie  "Piiit;i,"  in  Coium- 
I  us's  first  voyacje,  28. 

Pinzon,  Vicente  Vanoz;  Commander 
of  the  "  Nina  "  in  Columbus's  first 
voyap;e,  28. 

Porto  Kico,  one  of  the  West  Indies, 
discovered  by  Ccdumbus  on  his 
second  voyage,  58. 

Portugal,  tlie  foremost  nation  of 
modern  times  in  exploration,  14  ; 
her  ultimate  oi>jcct,  the  wealth 
of  the  Indies,  10;  sent  out  Bar- 
tholomew Diaz,  Ki-IT;  f\,nt  out 
Vasco  da  Gama,  who  opened  the 
route  to  India,  0.3,  soij. ;  by  decree 
of  Pope  Alexander  the  Si,\th  is 
given  the  eastern  half  A  tiio 
world,  r)r). 

Prester  .John,  mythical  king  whom 
Vnsco  da  Gama  tried  to  find,  9^1 
9.5;  supjxi.sed  kingdom,  102 

Prince  Ilciiry  the  Navigs'.or,  the 
father  of  tnodern  exploration,  14; 
some  of  his  cajttains'  discoveries, 
14,  died  in  tlie  same  year  in 
which  Columbus  first  went  to 
f<ea,  10. 

QUKEX'S  GARi:)',-:\,  name  given 

by  (^olambus  to  the  archijielago 

ou  the  southern  coast  of  Cuba,  64. 


Quibian,  the  intrepid  chief  of  the 
Indians  whom  Columbus  encoun- 
tered at  Veragua,  84-86. 

(iuinsay,  t'.e  magnificent  capital  of 
Kubla  Khan's  empire,  described 
by  Marco  Polo,  10-11, 

gANTO  DOMINGO,  city  founded 
by  Bartholomew  Columbus  on 
island  of  Hispaniola,  74. 

'piIORNE,  Robert,  urges  Henry 
VIII.  to  undertake  explora- 
tions in  the  North,  194;  sails  in 
1527,  204. 

ToscaiK'lli,  a  famous  astronomer 
and  geo<rraphcr  of  Florence,  in 
Italy,  wiiom  Columbus  consulted, 
22  ;  his  mistake  as  to  the  size  of 
our  planet,  22. 

Trinidad,  one  of  the  West  Indies, 
sighted  by  Columbus  ou  his  third 
voyage,  74. 

VALLADOLID,  city  in  Spain 
where  Columbus  died,  92. 

Verrazano,  Giovanni  da,  question 
as  to  ti;e  authent'rity  of  ids 
letter,  178;  sails  from  Dieppe, 
177 ;  makes  land-fall  on  the  Caro- 
lina coast,  179;  enters  a  harbor, 
probably  New  York,  181;  his 
description  of  Narragansctt  Bay, 
182-18.T;  Penobscot  Bay,  18.3; 
hanged  a**  a  pirate  in  Cadiz,  184; 
di.scussion  concerning  Norum- 
bega,  187-188. 

WILLOrGIIBY,  Sir  Hugh,  expe- 
dition under,  197;   its  tragic 
fate,  198. 


